Leaving a Boy for a Man
by CuCernunnos
Summary: Johnny 13’s abusive nature manifests itself once too often and a hero must intervene on Kitty’s behalf, but will shared grief lead to other emotions? A little dark but with a romantic payoff. Written for inuyashaxkagome321's plea for more D X K stories.
1. Unlucky in Love

**This story is being written for **_**inuyashaxkagome321**_**, who's plea for more Danny/Kitty pairings could not go unheeded. I hope you will like it little one.**

**A warm thanks goes out to my Beta Reader ****DigitalPhantom who is simply awesome! If you want to read something really special, check out her work.**

**This story has been rated ****T**** but is on the border of an ****M**** rating. The story contains violence, foul language and sexual situations. The subject of abuse and possible rape also come up. If these offend you, please stop reading now.**

**Don't worry though, there is a happy ending to the story, I promise.**

**I do not own Danny Phantom or any of the characters and content of the original series. I do however own stock in the company that owns the company that produced Danny Phantom. So by proxy...I own one one billionth of a percent of the show. WOOOHOO! Not much, but I'll take what I can get!**

**Critical reviews are as always welcome. Mindless flames will be ignored.**

**Please enjoy!**

**PS: This story takes place after the episode "Livin' Large".**

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**Leaving a Boy for a Man**

_"Real men don't hit women."  
__**Famous Bumper Sticker Quote, Author Unknown**_

**Chapter One:**

_**Unlucky in Love**_

* * *

"Damn it, Johnny, at least try not to so obviously hit on another woman when I'm around," Kitty said, eyeing the object of his latest pick-up attempt. Dressed in a micro-mini latex skirt, skimpy matching halter top and 5" patent stiletto heels, the girl looked more like a hooker than a teenager in high school. Kitty knew she dressed a little provocatively, but this girl's outfit was just too much.

"Chill out, baby cakes," Johnny replied. "I'm only being friendly. She asked about my ride and I offered to give her a personal demonstration; totally harmless."

Kitty watched the way Johnny leered at the girl and snorted in disgust. "Whatever. I'll be in the dress shop when you're done playing with your toys, little boy."

She turned around and took two steps toward the door of the shop before feeling the vice-like grip of Johnny's hand on her arm. Fear shot through her as she felt herself being forcefully turned around. _"Oh no, I went too far again!"_ she thought as she looked into Johnny's eyes, burning red with anger and piercing into her soul.

"What did you call me?" The question came out as a low growl, which put the hairs on the back of Kitty's neck straight up.

"Nothing sweetie. Really!" Kitty said in a high-pitched voice laced with fear. She tried to gently pull her arm away, but found herself held fast.

"Get on the bike, slag." Johnny whispered menacingly, his tone broking no room for argument.

Head held downward in acquiescence, Kitty climbed slowly onto the back of his motorcycle, her arm burning in pain where Johnny still had his grip on it. She carefully snaked her other arm around his waist and held on gingerly, not daring to upset him anymore by gripping too hard.

Johnny waited until she was seated properly before turning back to the young girl standing on the sidewalk. She seemed uncertain as to what to make of the whole situation and looked ready to bolt. Johnny turned a winning smile to her. "Look, baby, I have to drop my _**friend**_ here off at her place, but I'll be right back to give you the ride of your life. Sound good?"

The girl perked up at the offer and readily agreed; Kitty just cringed at Johnny's use of the word 'friend'. Feeling the bike start up, she closed her eyes, put her head on Johnny's back and prayed that this time would be different.

That maybe he'd just yell at her.

* * *

Across town, Danny Phantom was flying his normal search pattern above the city on the lookout for ghost activity. His usual companions in this endeavor, Sam and Tucker, were on scooters, covering different sections of town. All of them were staying connected using the Fenton phones, but the witty banter that usually accompanied their patrols seemed oddly strained. Due to this, the patrol had been very boring, with only the Box Ghost showing up to break the monotony early on. After a VERY quick fight (which hardly qualified to be called that) and a few "BEWARE!"s, he was securely in the Fenton Thermos, ready for deposit back into the Ghost Zone. Again. For about the four hundredth time.

With the sun slowly slipping into the west, Tucker spoke up. "It's nearly sundown, dude, and we haven't seen anything. Maybe we should call it an early night and grab something to eat. I'm starving!"

"Tucker's right. Nothing is going on. Let's just call it quits for now. Besides, I really need to get home and catch up on my sleep," Sam quipped, yawning at the end.

"Yeah, I suppose you guys are right," Danny agreed. "I guess all of the ghosts have other plans tonight. Shall we regroup at the Nasty Burger and grab a bite?" He waited for a response, hoping against hope that she'd say yes.

"Not tonight guys, I really need to go home and crash. Maybe some other time. Sam out." Static replaced her signal for a moment, then nothing.

Danny felt his shoulders slump. He should've been used to it by now, but her unresponsiveness still surprised him.

"Sorry, dude. I'm still up for food if you are, though." Tucker's usually upbeat tone now came across rather forced.

"Thanks, Tuck, but I think I've just lost my appetite. I'm just going to fly over the park one more time and head home. I appreciate your help tonight, man."

"Anytime, Danny, you know that. And don't worry dude, she'll come back around; sooner or later."

"I hope so." Danny sighed as he deactivated his mike and immediately turned toward the park. "I hope so."

* * *

Johnny drove through the streets of Amity Park like a madman, Kitty hanging on for dear life behind him. Turning off the main street and into the park, he stopped behind a little-used pavilion in an isolated corner of the property and dismounted. Kitty quickly got off and stood there, head down, as Johnny began pacing back and forth in front of her. She fully expected him to start yelling at any second.

She wasn't disappointed.

"What the hell is with you Kitty?!? I was just talking to that girl and you had to go all psycho-jealous on me! Do you know how embarrassing that is?!?" He screamed into her face.

Kitty flinched at his words as if they were physical blows. Thankfully, it hadn't come to that; yet. "I'm sorry Johnny, it won't happen again, I swear." She said meekly.

"It damn well better not, or you'll find yourself alone in a second!" He shouted. "Why I put up with a skank like you is beyond me. I should have dropped your ugly ass months ago."

Kitty became scared. She wasn't sure what she'd do without Johnny, and she didn't think anyone else would take her in. "Please, Johnny, don't say that. You know I love you, baby; I've always loved you. Please, baby, don't leave me."

Johnny spun around and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her slowly off the ground. Kitty reached up and tried to pull his hand away, but he was just too strong. An evil smile crossed Johnny's face as he became aroused by her struggling. "What will you do to prove your love to me, eh, Kitty? Show me why I should keep you around." With that he pushed her roughly to the ground, scraping her knees in the process and keeping her face on level with his groin.

Tears flowed from Kitty's eyes as she looked up at Johnny, knowing exactly what he wanted. "Not here, baby, please," she wined, shaking with fear. "Let's go home and I'll do anything you want, but don't make me do this here."

Johnny looked down into her pleading face and smiled softly, meeting her eyes with a tenderness that calmed her fears. "Okay, baby cakes, we'll do it…the hard way."

Then, quicker than Kitty could react, the back of Johnny's hand made contact with her face, splitting her lip and knocking her back several feet. As she picked herself up off the ground she felt his boot connect in her midsection, dropping her back down in extreme pain.

"You just don't get it, do you, slag?!?" Johnny screamed, "You do what I want, when I want it! You don't have any say in the matter! **DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!!?**"

Kitty could only nod. She was curled up into the fetal position and holding her midsection with both hands, rocking her body back and forth. Fresh tears poured from her swollen eyes, and sobs were the only sound she made. Her insides were on fire, and she was sure she tasted ectoplasm on her lips.

Johnny remounted his bike and it roared back to life. He glanced down where Kitty was lying on the ground, a look of disgust on his face. "I'll be gone for a few hours, but you'd better be here when I get back. And you sure as hell better get your head screwed on right before then, bitch!"

Johnny gunned the engine and peeled out, spraying dirt, mud and gravel all over where Kitty laid. As the sound of his engine faded away, Kitty cried out into the night, praying for deliverance from the hell she was trapped in.

* * *

Danny was nearly to the park when heard cries of despair coming from within it. Picking up speed, he moved quickly through the park, honing in on the sound of the sobbing female. When he neared an old pavilion, he noticed the glowing figure of a woman on the ground. She appeared to be curled up into a tight ball and her body was heaving in time with the sobs he heard. Touching down lightly on the ground several yards away, he approached the figure cautiously, hands glowing with charged ecto-energy. As he got closer, he realized who the woman was, but why she was alone puzzled him.

"Kitty, is that you?" He asked in a soft voice, trying to sound gentle.

The figure on the ground stopped sobbing as loud but didn't turn to face him. "Go away! Leave me alone!"

It was Kitty's voice alright, but it sounded hoarse, as if she'd been crying for a long time. "Kitty, it's me, Danny. Danny Fenton. What's wrong; are you hurt?" Danny moved closer and saw she was covered in mud and gravel, and from the small amount of ectoplasm on the ground he figured she must be cut somewhere. He moved more rapidly toward her, concern showing in his voice. "What happened, Kitty? Who did this to you? Where's Johnny?"

At the mention of that name, Kitty snapped. She screamed out, got up and spun around, throwing herself at Danny with a snarl. Caught totally by surprise, he could only brace himself for the impact. She slammed into his chest, almost knocking him over from the force of the collision. Once on him, she balled up her fists and began hitting Danny in the chest, screaming, "**LEAVE ME ALONE!**" with each hit.

Danny was in shock, having no idea what he said or did to set her off. She seemed to be furious at him, but why? He sensed there was more to the situation than what there appeared to be and just wrapped his arms around Kitty, preventing her from doing him serious harm. "Kitty! Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you!"

His words seemed to have some effect as the blows came less often and with diminished force. The sobs became louder and Danny could barely make out what Kitty was saying over them. "Leave me alone! Leave me…leave…" Then, Kitty went limp and cried full force into Danny's chest, her body shaking violently in his arms.

Danny was more perplexed than ever, but he knew what to do. Lowering her gently to the ground he held her tight, cooing softly into her ear and rocking her back and forth. Every so often he'd say things like, "It'll be okay, Kitty. I'm here now. Don't cry, I've got you." In time the cries became sobs, and the sobs lessened to a small quivering in her breath. Her body stopped shaking, and she seemed to calm somewhat.

Taking a hold of her chin and tipping it up, Danny looked deep into Kitty's eyes. They were still wet with tears and extremely bloodshot, but he could tell she was finally seeing him clearly now. "Kitty, what happened to you?"

Fear flashed in her eyes and he was scared he'd lose her to another crying fit. Quickly, he wrapped his arms around her again, "Don't worry Kitty, you don't have to answer until you're ready to. Just rest, I've got you. You're safe now."

Kitty melted into his arms and wrapped herself around Danny. His words made her feel warm inside, and she actually felt safe within his embrace. She hugged him even tighter, and rubbed her head into his chest, seeking every ounce of comfort she could from him.

Danny just sat there, holding her and letting her take solace in their embrace. He couldn't imagine what had Kitty so upset, or what had hurt her physically. He was even more surprised that Johnny wasn't around right now. He should be the one holding her, comforting her, protecting her, saying all the things that would help her recover.

Not that he minded; it was actually kinda nice holding Kitty. He was surprised at how soft her skin felt, how light in his arms she seemed and how nice she smelled. He thought her scent would be of cigarettes or oil, but it was fresh and clean – like pine needles and lilacs. He closed his eyes and breathed it in, relaxing somewhat and cuddling into her more.

Kitty was surprised, too, but not as much as Danny. She remembered full well how strong yet sensitive his touch could be, how soft and warm his skin was, and how his musky, masculine scent tickled her senses and made her heart race. She had experienced it before when she had overshadowed that prissy girl Danny liked; Paulina was her name. She enjoyed being in his arms then, but was astonished by how right it felt now. Rather than fight it, she snuggled deeper into his embrace, wishing that she could be safe in his arms forever.

But the sound of an approaching motorcycle engine snapped her out of her reverie and sent her shaking in terror again.

* * *

Johnny had returned to the open air mall and looked everywhere for the hot chick in the latex outfit, but hadn't found her anywhere. Furious at being stood up, he gunned his engine and sped off back toward the park. Kitty's actions had cost him a potentially exciting time with a sweet little piece of ass, and she was going to pay dearly for it.

Swinging into the park and tearing across the lawn, Johnny came up on the pavilion fairly quickly. However, he was not prepared for the sight of Danny Phantom holding Kitty in his arms. Realizing he had to play it close to the vest, he throttled down and came skidding up to the two of them as they were hurriedly disengaging themselves from each other.

"What are you doin' here, punk?" Johnny said without preamble.

Danny tried not to look like a cat that just ate a canary but failed miserably. "Hey, Johnny, I was just patrolling when I found Kitty lying on the ground crying. Seems that someone or something attacked her. She was pretty shaken up."

Johnny just sat on his bike, looking from Danny to Kitty and back again. He thought the punk seemed pretty nervous, and he might be able to use that to his advantage. Kitty just stared down at the ground, shaking slightly and not saying a thing. Good, he thought, just the way she should be.

"So, of course, you just swooped down and took her in your arms. Nothing odd about that." Johnny sneered at Danny, the accusation hanging in the wind.

Danny stood up straighter and set his jaw. "It's not like that, Johnny. I was concerned for her, and tried to calm her down. I would think that you of all people would appreciate that someone cared enough to do that in your place."

Anger at Danny's words flashed through Johnny's eyes. Who the hell was this punk to tell him his place? "Kitty, get over here, now!" growled Johnny.

She jumped at the mention of her name, then quickly cast her eyes at Danny. He gave her a look of concern, but said nothing. Kitty wanted to go to Danny, to beg him to protect her, but fear made her slink back to Johnny, mounting the bike behind him and hiding her face in shame.

"That's it, baby cakes, let's go home." The name reverberated like broken glass in Kitty's ears. Where once she loved to hear him call her that, the name now sounded like a dire threat; a ball and chain trapping her in a cell she couldn't escape.

Pointing a finger at the halfa, Johnny started up his bike. "You stole my bike, and now you want to steal my girl? They're mine, punk, and you better leave both of them alone." With that, he opened up the throttle full and tore off into the night with a frightened Kitty behind him, looking at Danny in desperation.

Not sure of what to do, Danny flew up and followed them at a distance. Johnny, however, knew the streets and how to use them, and Danny soon lost sight of them. Sighing, Danny flew off toward home, still unsure what to make of the entire situation. Settling into bed, sleep did not come easy for him. And once it did, he had disturbing dreams of his time with Paulina, only her face looked like Kitty's…

…and she was screaming for help.

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**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now onto "Breakfast 'On the Couch'"**

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	2. Breakfast 'On the Couch'

**This story is being written for **_**inuyashaxkagome321**_**, whose plea for more Danny/Kitty pairings could not go unheeded. I hope you like this chapter little one.**

**A warm thanks goes out to my Beta Reader ****DigitalPhantom who is simply awesome! If you want to read something really special, check out her work.**

**For all of you Danny/Sam fans out there, you might not like this chapter. You have been warned.**

**This story takes place after the "Livin' Large" episode. **

**As always, critical reviews are always appreciated. Actually any review is appreciated, except mindless flames with no useful substance.**

**Please enjoy.**

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**Leaving a Boy for a Man**

**Chapter Two:**

_**Breakfast 'On the Couch'**_

* * *

Danny got up the next morning feeling like hell, having been awakened several times during the night from the nightmares he had. Every one of them was about Kitty, and every one of them ended with her lying on the ground, badly beaten and crying for help. The most disturbing part of the dreams was how real they seemed; he could still feel the tang of her fear in his mouth. He was positive that Kitty was in trouble, and had the unnerving feeling that Johnny was at the heart of it. What exactly was going on eluded him still, but he knew where to turn to for advice on the matter.

He just didn't like the thought of tapping that particular resource.

Stumbling down the stairs, Danny made his way to the kitchen, knowing he'd find her in there, reading whatever psyche book currently held her interest. Sure enough, there she was, nose deep in some huge leather-bound manuscript. Danny cocked his head in order to read the title on its spine. "'The Remanifestation of Id: Relationships in Parapsychology'. Wow, that's a mouthful. What's it about?"

Jazz glanced up at Danny with an incredulous look in her eyes. "Who are you, and what have you done with my little brother?" she replied sarcastically

"Ha, ha. I was only curious," rebuffed Danny.

Jazz eyed him again, wondering what he was up to. "Well, it deals with the interesting theory that free-form ectoplasmic manifestations maintain their higher consciousness due to a strong sense of self at the time of death. Whereas fixed repeating phantasms, because of their focus on one specific event at the time…of…death… You're really not listening, are you?"

Danny just looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "I was listening; it's just that you lost me on the first sentence."

Jazz rolled her eyes in frustration, distressed at the thought that out of the entire family, she alone actually cared _**why**_ ghosts existed. Focusing her attention back on Danny, she inquired, "What do you want little brother?"

The next word she heard surprised her more than if he had just declared himself to be his evil alter ego from the future in disguise here to sell vacuums door-to-door.

"Advice. I need your advice, Jazz."

Jazz stared at him, open-mouthed, for a few seconds before moving around the table to be closer to him. If Danny was willing to ask for her input on something, it must be important. "Okay, what do you want to know, Danny?"

He looked down at the table, not sure where to begin. "Well, on patrol last night, I ran into Kitty in the park."

"Isn't she the one that Johnny 13 was trying to overshadow me with? The one that Mom, Sam and I fought while you were fishing with Dad?" Jazz interrupted.

Danny nodded his head. "Yep, that's her. Anyway, she was lying on the ground crying when I found her. She was really upset, and looked like she went a few rounds with Skulker."

Jazz interrupted again. "Oh my! What happened to her? Is she ok?"

"Jazz, can I finish the story please?!?" Danny said, frustration evident in his tone.

Jazz had the good sense to look embarrassed. "Sorry, I'm just so excited that you came to me with a problem. I'll try not to interrupt again."

"Thanks," Danny said with a touch of sarcasm. "Anyway, when I tried to approach and talk to her, she went all crazy on me, screaming at me to leave her alone. She even charged at me and started beating me on the chest, screaming the entire time."

Jazz nodded, following every word Danny said. "Was she still crying at this point?"

Danny thought back on the encounter the evening before. "Yeah, she started out sobbing, but after a bit, it became a full blown break-down. Actually, it was right after I put my arms around her and tried saying soothing things to her that she stopped hitting me and just bawled her eyes out."

Jazz couldn't help but smile at Danny. For all that he acted like a dumb 16 year old boy, he was surprisingly intuitive at times. His gentle nature was exactly what Kitty had needed at that point; she was sure of it. "Did you ever get her to say what happened?"

"No. When she finally calmed down a bit, I tried to get her to talk, but she started to shake and sob again, so I didn't push it. I just held her close, rocked back and forth and cooed to her." Danny looked somewhat uncomfortable at this point, but continued. "Just like you used to do with me when I was a baby and mom wasn't around." Danny blushed, obviously embarrassed by the remembrance of that past event.

Jazz's eyes misted over with pride. There were times she feared that all of the horrors Danny had to face would harden him, make him into an uncaring automaton living only for fighting ghosts. She saw now that her brother was truly a hero. Not because of the battles he fought every day with whatever ghost decided to rule the world at that particular moment. No, it was because he never lost that part of him that truly cared about those around him, be they friends or enemies. Jazz knew that nothing again would ever extinguish that spark of humanity in him, no matter what happened.

Clearing her mind of thoughts on how pleased she was with Danny's emotional development, she again turned to the task at hand. "What did you do after you consoled her? "

Danny shrugged. "I didn't do anything. Johnny came riding up and left with Kitty."

_Well,_ Jazz thought, _He's still clueless. Sensitive, but clueless._ She immediately chided herself for the thought; Danny came to her for advice, after all. He may not know what was going on, but he had enough sense to investigate it. That was more than most people would do.

"How did Kitty act when Johnny showed up?"

Danny concentrated for a moment, willing the memory of Kitty's actions to the surface. "She seemed really scared, almost like she didn't want to go with him. She got on the bike, though, after Johnny told her to. He seemed real possessive of her; even warned me that I needed to leave what was his alone."

All of the pieces were in place, and Jazz was one hundred percent sure of her conclusions. Now, she had to let Danny come to the same conclusion on his own; he would be more accepting of it that way. "Would you say Kitty acted like a whipped dog around Johnny?"

Danny seemed to pause for a moment, as if he was playing the scene in his mind again. Jazz knew he was close to understanding and patiently waited for him to respond. "Yeah, I guess she was acting that way. Just like if Johnny had been the one who…"

Danny's eyes flew open as the reality of the situation came crashing down on top of him. It was Johnny that had hit Kitty! And based on her reactions around him, it had most likely happened before! That's why she looked at him when Johnny ordered her to get on the bike; she was begging him to help her!

And he let her go back into the arms of a guy who would likely beat her again.

"**DAMN IT!**" Danny slammed his hand down on the kitchen table hard, startling Jazz at the vehemence of his actions. He started to pace the floor, moving in an agitated stride. "I can't believe it! It was all there right in front of me and I just ignored it! I just let her leave with that…that ASSHOLE! Who knows what he may have done to her afterward."

That thought stopped the pacing and snapped Danny up straight. "I've got to go find her right now!" Danny started to move quickly toward the front door. Before he made it out of the kitchen, Jazz got in front of him and grabbed both of his arms.

"Whoa, Danny. You've got to calm down for a moment and think. Trust me, you don't just want to march off after her and do something that will make the situation worse."

Danny's eyes met Jazz's and she could see a measure of self-loathing in them. "I've already screwed up, Jazz. I should have realized what was going on and beat the hell out of Johnny right then and there."

Jazz shook her head from side to side. "No, that's just what you shouldn't do. Beating up Johnny right now will make matters worse. Kitty is not only in a cycle of abuse, but it sounds like she's also in a cycle of _dependence_. Until she breaks that cycle, any actions against Johnny will cause her to defend him and withdraw away from his attacker, regardless of how abusive Johnny is."

Danny relaxed a bit, and Jazz took her hands off of him. "Then what should I do? I can't leave her like that; she needs my help!"

Danny looked so frustrated that it nearly broke Jazz's heart. _Sometimes he cares too much_, she thought. "First, try to get Kitty to leave Johnny of her own volition. If she does that, the rest of the process will be a lot easier." Jazz wracked her brain for everything she could remember from working at the battered women's shelter the last summer. "Next you have to make her understand that she is important; that she has a value beyond being Johnny's punching bag. She needs to realize that her life will go on without him, and that it will actually be a lot better."

Danny relaxed even more, recognizing that going to his sister for advice in this matter was the best idea he ever had. "How do I do that, Jazz?"

Jazz looked up into Danny's eyes, smiling softly. "Follow your heart, Danny; it will tell you what to do. You're a very sensitive and caring person, and I know you'll say and do the right thing. Don't beat yourself up over what you didn't do, just move forward and do what's right."

It was Danny's turn to get teary eyed, and he bent down and kissed his sister on the forehead. "Thanks Jazz, for everything; especially for believing in me."

Jazz had trouble speaking from the lump forming in her throat. "No problem, little brother. Now go, get dressed and find Kitty."

Danny smiled and moved past Jazz, heading quickly up the stairs. He cleaned himself up, put on fresh clothes and nearly jumped down all the stairs in his haste to get out and locate Kitty.

As Jazz watched him heading toward the door, she remembered something she had been meaning to ask him lately. Her brain knew it could wait, but her mouth voiced the question almost on its own. "Hey Danny, I haven't seen much of Sam around lately. How are you two doing?"

Danny was brought up short by the question and just stood in the doorway, as if frozen in time. All thoughts of Kitty left him as he recalled the last day he and Sam spoke to each other alone.

The day he finally opened up and tried to tell her how he felt about her.

* * *

_It was just after he moved back into Fenton Works. His parents, Jazz and he had been busy for an entire week trying to clean-up all the messes the Guys in White had left behind. He was relaxing up in his room with Tucker, playing 'Rain Forest Demolition' and having a good time._

"_Dude, I am so building another resort on the north shore of my coast," Tucker bragged, seemingly happy to be destroying his virtual old-growth timber._

"_Not before I build a super mega-mall for the indigenous tribes near the river," Danny quipped, sending his loggers into a 'slash and burn' frenzy. "It's a good thing Sam isn't here to see this. The forest may be virtual, but the guilt she'd try and lay on us would be all too real."_

_Tucker laughed as he pushed the controls to start clear cutting an area for his new arcade. "Where is she, anyway? I haven't seen much of her lately."_

_Danny shrugged as he increased electrical production on his coal-fired power plant. "I don't know; she's been really reclusive lately, even for her."_

_Tucker glanced over at his friend, seeing the unspoken hurt in his eyes. Sam didn't seem to want to hang out with them as much anymore, and Danny feared she was seeing someone again. Sam's absence from the group was hard on Danny, and it left him with doubts. Tucker knew the time for half-measures was over; he'd have to get either Sam or Danny to break down and confront the other, soon. And since he failed to get Sam to make that move, he'd have to work on Danny._

"_Dude, you really need to tell her how you feel. She's not going to wait forever for you to admit you like her as more than a friend."_

_Danny's shoulders slumped down and he put the game controller in his lap, allowing eco-terrorists to break into his oil refinery. "I know; I'm just so scared she won't feel the same way about me." Danny quickly held his hand up, silencing Tucker's protest. "I know what you've told me, Tuck, but it's not the same as hearing it from her lips. And I'm deathly afraid of what telling her might do to us, to our friendship."_

_Tucker put his game on pause and leaned over toward Danny, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You'll never know what will happen until you try. And tomorrow afternoon is the perfect time to do that. Sam will be meeting you in the park near the central fountain." Tucker took his game off pause and set his security teams loose on some virtual demonstrators outside his nuclear power plant. "I took the liberty of telling her you wanted to talk to her. Try to wear something nice, and use that cologne she gave you for Christmas."_

_Danny's head snapped around to look at his best friend, his mouth forming words that refused to come out. He could barely restrain himself from reaching over and choking his friend, and Tucker's posture showed that he was expecting just such a welcome from Danny. But the more he thought about it, the more confronting Sam made sense. It would feel good to get his feelings for her out in the open.._

_For the first time Danny felt at peace with his feelings for Sam. _I'll do it_, he thought. _I'll let her know how I feel and ask her to be my girlfriend._ Danny glanced over at Tucker and gave him a sheepish grin. "Thanks, Tuck. Thanks for helping me make the right decision."_

_Tucker let out an internal sigh of relief. He knew everything would work out, and by tomorrow, he'd be the official 'third wheel' in the group. He could live with it though. "No problem, man. Now you'd better keep an eye on your chemical plant; those eco-terrorists are eyeing it up."_

_Danny and Sam walked along the wooded path, both silent in each other's company. Danny would steal glances at her from time to time, surprised at the nervous expression she wore. Did she know what he was going to tell her? Knowing Tucker, Danny wouldn't be surprised at all. In fact, Tucker had most likely placed bets on them getting together, and had told Sam what Danny was going to say to her so as to increase the odds of success. Danny had to admit that Tucker really knew how to work the system._

_They came to a sturdy park bench along the path and Danny motioned that they should sit down. Sam complied, but her wide-eyed fidgeting made it look like she was going to bolt at any second. _She's probably nervous._ Danny thought. _She's been waiting a long time for me to say this and is just overly excited._ Danny turned to face Sam and cleared his throat, causing her to look up into his eyes._

"_Sam, we've been friends for what seems like forever. We've shared a lot of laughs and a lot of tears, and you've been by my side through everything." Danny nervously looked down and crossed his legs, then glanced back up at Sam. If he seemed nervous, she looked positively ready to jump out of her skin. It seemed odd, but he was determined to tell her. _

"_Lately I've started to realize that my feelings for you have grown. Every time I look at you I feel so lucky to share a friendship with you. Every time we touch, it feels like electrical sparks shooting up from that spot to my heart. And even though they've only been 'fake-out make-outs', I've loved every kiss we've ever shared." _

_Danny reached out to take hold of Sam's hand, and she jumped at his touch. He smiled at her nervousness and continued. "What I'm trying to say Sam is that…"_

_Sam suddenly pulled her hand away from Danny and stood up, tears moistening her eyes. "I know what you're going to say Danny, and I waited a long time to hear you say it. The fact is, a month ago, I would have given anything to hear you tell me how you felt about me." Sam wiped the tears on her sleeve, smearing her eye liner a little with the effort. _

_Danny looked up at her with an expression of confusion on his face, but she refused to meet his eyes. "Sam, I don't understand. I thought you liked me the same way as I like you. I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend; isn't that what you want?"_

"_No."_

_The word hit Danny like an atom bomb, the force of it shredding his heart apart into a million pieces. He just stared dumbfounded at Sam, mouth hanging open in disbelief. When he finally found his voice, it came out squeaky and high pitched, like puberty had hit him again. "Why, Sam? Why ?"_

_Tears flowed more freely from Sam's eyes, but still she refused to look Danny in the face. "Because it's what you expected Danny. It's what you've taken for granted for too long."_

_Danny's eyes began to water as well, and his voice became more shrill in desperation. "I don't understand, Sam. I've never taken you for granted; I've always appreciated you."_

_Sam spun around on him then, eyes blazing in spite of the tears. "But not because you wanted to be with me! I had to watch you chase girl after girl while you ignored the fact that I even existed! Do you know how much that hurt?!? Of course you don't; you never did! Still I stayed by your side, hoping against hope that someday you'd see me for what I was; a girl desperately in love with you who would do anything to see you happy. And what did I get for all my troubles? __**NOTHING!**__ You even replaced me with a damn robot! Is that what I am to you? Just a thing to be called upon when you're lonely and need your ego stroked?!?"_

_Danny recoiled from Sam, not sure of what to say or do. He felt like his entire world was crumbling around him; and Sam had always been the one thing he could cling to. But now, he was being told that was no longer the case._

"_Sam, I never meant to hurt you. I've always cared about you."_

"_But not the way you should have, at least not soon enough," Sam interrupted. "You're too chaotic for me, Danny. One minute you're there, the next you're not. I care about you, Danny, but I can't be involved with you. I'll always be your friend and be there when you need me, but I need someone who isn't so clueless about his feelings."_

_Danny fell to his knees at Sam's feet, tears nearly blinding him and his voice thick with emotion. "Please Sam, give me another chance. I'll do anything you ask. Anything!"_

_Sam turned her eyes away from Danny and hardened her heart. It took every ounce of will she had to refuse him when he was like this, but she had to be strong. "I'm sorry, Danny, but I can't. I have to do this, for both of us." Then she turned and started walking away._

"_**SAM! PLEASE!"**__ Danny pleaded, all dignity now gone._

_She stopped only for a moment but did not turn around to look at him. She knew if she did, Danny's plea might be too much even for her to resist. "Promise me something, Danny. When you find yourself having those same feelings for the next girl that comes along, don't hide them. Let her know how you truly feel. It would kill me if you had to go through this again." Sam wiped her eyes once more, then walked alone back down the path toward home._

"_Goodbye, Danny," she said out loud. "I love you, and I always will," she said in silence._

_Danny just curled up into the fetal position on the ground, drained of all feeling. Even his tears no longer flowed. He felt empty, cold and alone._

_And he realized that it was all his own doing._

* * *

Danny stood silently just inside the doorway, reliving that horrible day all over again in his mind. He had very nearly died that evening in his room; the metal razor blade he held to his wrist would have seen to it. But something inside of him refused to give up, and he pulled himself through the ordeal. He still longed for Sam, he couldn't control that, but he was able to convince his heart to move on. It's what Sam wanted, he would tell himself, and he could not refuse her; not even if doing so left his heart forever broken.

"We're fine, Jazz." Danny lied. "We're both fine."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now onto"A Friend In Need".**

**(Be kind, and leave a review. Be even kinder, and select Story Alert.)**


	3. A Friend in Need

**This story is being written for **_**inuyashaxkagome321**_**, whose plea for more Danny/Kitty pairings could not go unheeded. I hope you like this chapter little one.**

**A VERY warm thanks goes out to my Beta Reader ****DigitalPhantom who is simply awesome! If you want to read something really special, go check out her work.**

**If you thought Johnny was a cad before, you're really going to hate him in this chapter. You have been warned.**

**This story takes place after the "Livin' Large" episode. **

**As always, critical reviews are always appreciated. Actually any review is appreciated, except mindless flames with no useful substance.**

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

**Leaving a Boy for a Man**

**Chapter Three:**

_**A Friend in Need**_

* * *

Danny had been patrolling the skies over Amity Park for more than five hours and had yet to see any sign of Johnny or Kitty. He really wished he could have asked Tucker and Sam to help him, but neither would have understood. Danny especially didn't want Sam to know what he was doing, sure she would disapprove of him trying to rescue Kitty.

He had a bad feeling that she and Johnny might have gone back to the Ghost Zone, but wanted to be sure he checked everywhere else before going there. The zone was HUGE, and there were no guarantees that they were even there right now. Besides, not everyone in there was friendly to him. He didn't have time to fight a battle with Skulker or any of his other enemies while trying to rescue Kitty.

The thought of Skulker made him smile. _Maybe I should ask the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter to help me find them. _The image of that conversation suddenly entered his mind. _Yeah, that would go over really well. Besides, that clown couldn't find a pastrami sandwich in a New York deli._

Danny chuckled inwardly at that quip and made a mental note to remember it for the next time he was kicking Skulker's butt. He was ripped from his reverie, however, by a wisp of cold air escaping his mouth and the sounds of shouting from below him. Turning his attention downward, he saw several burley men on a loading dock full of packing crates running out of the receiving doors with frightened expressions on their faces. Several looked over their shoulders at the building they had just evacuated and screamed, **"GHOST! RUN!!"**

Danny shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh. "Man, I really don't need this right now," he muttered under his breath as he flew toward the scene of the disturbance.

Touching down lightly just outside the shipping doors he peered around the corner and scanned the receiving bay for the cause of the commotion. He immediately spotted the ghost floating next to a pallet of boxes and scaring the dickens out of a pair of dock workers who were trying to get the back door open.

"**I am the Box Ghost; ruler of all that is cubic and cardboard! Beware!"** the spirit shouted at the men in a loud, nasally voice.

Seeing the portly, blue overall-clad ghost inside made Danny actually laugh aloud. "And to think I was worried." Taking the Fenton Thermos he carried with him from his back, he took off the cap and pointed the canister toward the Box Ghost. He cleared his throat loudly, causing the ghost to turn in his direction. The Box Ghost's eyes flew open wide when he spotted the ghost boy, and he turned to flee.

But Danny was quicker, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to leave. Only designated union personnel are authorized to move the boxes at this location," and he activated the thermos, shooting a blue energy beam which caught the Box Ghost full in the back and sucked him into the container. Danny quickly put the lid back on and gave the device a little shake. "All too easy."

He started to sling the thermos onto his back and leave when a thought struck him. Skulker might not agree to aid him, but perhaps he could convince the Box Ghost to. Although he was very weak and had no special powers that Danny was aware of, he could be a second set of eyes and ears. And if he managed to run away, he was harmless enough and would be easy to recapture. His only concern was that the ghost might tip off Johnny that he was looking for him and Kitty.

Danny thought about it and decided the risks were worth the possible rewards. "Can you hear me in there?" he said, giving the thermos a little tap on its side. "I'd like to make a deal that could mean a few more hours of freedom for you. Interested?"

Nothing. Danny knew the Box Ghost was in the thermos, and he knew entities trapped inside of it could hear and be heard, but he still got no response. "Come on, I know you can hear me. Are you really so ready to be sent back to the Ghost Zone that you're not curious about what I have to say?"

"What is this deal that you offer?" came the reply.

Danny let out a sigh of relief, glad the ghost was willing to listen to his offer. "I need to find someone fast and I want you to help me. If you'll do it, I'll let you out and give you a six hour head start before I come looking for you."

Silence.

"Well?" Danny said, impatient to continue the search.

"If you let me go and leave me be for two days, the Box Ghost will help you find this person you seek."

"I'll give you twenty four hours and not a second longer. And if you tell anyone about this deal or who you and I are looking for, then all bets are off." Danny held his breath, praying his captive would take the offer.

"Deal," the Box Ghost answered, "Now free me from this cylindrical prison so that we may find the one you seek."

Danny's brows knotted and he hoped he wasn't making a huge mistake. Taking the cap off and pointing the thermos away from him, he pressed the particle flow reverse button. A familiar blue beam shot out the opening of the container and in seconds the Box Ghost was floating free.

"Ahhh, it feels good to be out of that evil place of no corners," the Box Ghost said as he stretched his limbs and back. Looking down at Danny, his expression became one of all business. "Now, who do you want me to find?"

"I'm looking for Kitty," replied Danny.

The Box Ghost gave him an odd look, "Why do you seek the girlfriend of the rider on two wheels?"

Danny couldn't think of any reason not to tell the ghost, but decided to keep information to a minimum just in case. "Because she's in trouble and I'm concerned about her. Now, can you help me or not?"

Box Ghost looked questioningly at Danny then just shrugged his shoulders and dematerialized into a large box nearby, disappearing completely.

"Damn it!" Danny cursed, slinging the thermos on his back and taking flight, "I should have known he'd try to..."

He was brought up short as the container that the Box Ghost had entered started glowing bright blue. Charging up his ecto-blast Danny immediately assumed a defensive posture. Then he noticed the boxes nearest to the glowing container began to gleam themselves. The effect spread until every square and rectangular shaped crate or box in the warehouse was emitting the same blue luminescence.

Danny began to feel some concern, no sure of exactly what the Box Ghost was doing. Had he not been focused on the first container, he would have seen that the boxes on the loading dock behind him were now glowing as well. In fact, if he were floating above the city he would have seen that same blue light in an ever growing number of containers spreading out in a circle expanding away from the warehouse. The phenomenon continued to increase in radius until it reached just past the outskirts of town. There it stopped for a moment and then collapsed quickly back upon itself until only the container in front of Danny glowed, then it too went dark.

The Box Ghost materialized out of the crate and hovered several feet in front of Danny. "I have found her, lying next to many old and tattered boxes surrounded by bins of broken glass and shredded plastic bottles. It saddens me that they have been abandoned; as beautiful and square as they once were."

Danny stood unblinking, mouth agape. The Box Ghost hadn't been gone more than thirty seconds, if that. "How…how did you find her so fast?" he asked in awe.

The expression on Danny's face was not lost to the ghost, and he puffed himself up to appear as large as he could. "**I AM THE BOX GHOST!** All things square and rectangular, cardboard or wood, are mine to command! Wherever they are, I can be in an instant!" Then he glared at the ghost boy and in a menacingly low voice added, "**BEWARE!**"

Danny almost took a step back in fear, then quickly remembered who he was dealing with. He had kicked the Box Ghost's butt often enough to know he was no real threat, but this new ability of his was something to give thought to. It might even explain how the spook was able to get out of the Ghost Zone so often.

Shifting his focus back to Kitty, he thought about the description the Box Ghost gave concerning her location. "It sounds like she might be at the Amity Park garbage dump, or the recycling center. Were there a lot of old boxes near her? And lots of bins full of glass and plastic?"

The specter thought hard about what he saw and nodded, "Yes, there was mounds and mounds of the beautiful cardboard, all pressed flat and bundled up," he said with a touch of sadness. "And there were many bins as well, all stacked in neat rows with a triangle made of arrows on their sides."

Danny smiled, he knew exactly where Kitty was now. It should only take a minute or two to get to her; he just hoped she was ok. Looking up on the receiving floor's back wall he saw a clock showing the time to be 5:13pm. "Well, you held up your end of the deal, and I'll honor mine. It's five o'clock now, you've got till…oh what the heck. I'll give you until midnight tomorrow before I come after you."

The Box Ghost smiled, knowing he had whole day and more to haunt at his leisure. He couldn't wait to go to that super store he had seen while looking for the biker ghost's girlfriend. It had rows and rows of boxes, as far as his eyes could see, and lots of people to scare. He was lost in rapture at the thought of it.

Danny floated up and got ready to leave, moving quickly toward the receiving doors. Before he left he turned toward the Box Ghost one last time. "Thanks for finding her for me. I really appreciate it." Then he flew off at top speed, heading for the recycling center while thinking how weird it felt to be grateful to the Box Ghost.

The Box Ghost watched the ghost boy fly off with a look of curiosity crossing his features. The boy's concern for the biker girl seemed odd, almost as if there was more to it. Then he just shrugged his shoulders, not really caring enough to think about it anymore. He'd tell his other love the Lunch Lady about everything that happened. She'd be able to figure out what was going on and explain it to him.

As he gathered himself up leave he noticed a woman huddled in the corner of the receiving office, shaking in obvious fear. He grinned to himself, thinking that the wonderful store with all those beautiful boxes could wait a bit. He had time to enjoy himself and didn't want to waste a single opportunity. Turning invisible he fazed through the wall and into the office, quietly floating over to her. He quickly appeared in front of her and moaned, "Beware!"

Her screams of terror as she ran through the office and out the shipping doors were like sweet music to his ears. He knew right then that this would be the best day of his afterlife.

* * *

Danny had reached the recycling center in just over a minute, circling above it to try and spot Kitty below. He began to quickly descend, heading for the area where the cardboard, glass and plastic storage converged. Immediately, he saw Kitty lying on the ground, unmoving and apparently unconscious, and he cleared the remaining distance in a flash.

Once Danny landed, he was able to get a clearer view of Kitty, and what he found shocked him to his core. She was on her side, facing away from the cardboard pile, her skirt hiked up past her hips and nothing covering her top half whatsoever. He saw a pile of what had once been her halter top and jacket; both looked as if they'd been ripped from her body with serious force. She was still wearing her fishnet stockings, garter belt and high-heeled boots, but Danny didn't know if she routinely wore panties. Regardless, there was no sign of a pair anywhere around her.

What truly sickened Danny were the bruises and cuts covering almost every inch of her face, arms, torso and legs. The worst bruising was on her face and, Danny noted, between her legs on the inside of her thighs and around her womanhood. He knew what those signs meant; he had heard Jazz talking about them to Mom after her first night of working at the battered women's shelter. He tried to think of **anything** else that might have explained the condition he found Kitty in, but knew he was reading the evidence correctly.

He just couldn't believe that Johnny had raped Kitty.

Bending over, Danny got down on the ground and took Kitty's body in his arms, cradling her softly against his chest. Tears flowed unbidden from his eyes, rolling down his cheeks to drip on Kitty's forehead. Reaching down toward her waist he gently pulled her leather skirt back down, shrouding her exposed vaginal area as best he could. Covering her bare breasts would be more difficult, especially considering her jacket and top were in tatters. Looking around the recycling center, Danny didn't see anything he could use in place of her clothing. There were a few things that would cover her, but nothing that would stay on her while he carried her to somewhere more secure.

As that thought entered his mind he found himself suddenly stumped; just exactly _where_ could he take Kitty to keep her safe? He figured that it had to be in the Ghost Zone, as he was pretty sure she would heal from her injuries quicker there. But he couldn't stay in the zone with her; who knows how his parents would react to his prolonged absence.

So who could he leave her with? He knew it couldn't be anyone that liked Johnny; they would just turn Kitty back over to him. The ghost would have to be fairly strong, capable of protecting her from Johnny, should he discover her location. But most importantly, they would have to be willing to take on the burden of helping Kitty get back on her feet.

Danny immediately removed Clockwork from the list. Although he was without doubt the ghost most capable of defending Kitty, his indifferent attitude made him the worse choice to help rehabilitate her. He gave Frostbite some consideration, but wasn't sure how well Kitty would take to waking up with a snow monster hovering over her. Besides, she didn't exactly have the clothing necessary to withstand even a minute in the Far Frozen. Maybe the Lunch Lady? Danny chuckled inwardly at that one, not wanting to even imagine having to deal with the bipolar ghost. Try as he might, Danny could think of no one at that moment who he could entrust Kitty's well being to.

At least the thought of Frostbite and clothing gave him an idea to solve one problem. Concentrating briefly, he willed the change back into his human half, complete with the clothes he had chosen to wear that morning. Placing Kitty softly on the ground for a moment, he slipped his t-shirt off and began to gently pull it over her head and onto her torso. Once her arms were through the sleeves, he shifted back to Phantom and looked down at his handiwork.

The shirt did cover her, but not in a way he was prepared for. It was a bit small and hugged her body like a second skin, accentuating the soft curve of her tummy and swell of her breasts. When he saw her topless, he hadn't given it a second thought beyond finding something to cover her with. But the way his shirt clung to her sent shivers down deep into Danny and left him confused for the feelings it invoked. He quickly chastised himself for those thoughts; the last thing Kitty needed right now was him perving on her.

Danny scooped up Kitty and held her close to him, preparing to fly her to his house and into the Ghost Zone. The feel of her body next to his brought on a stronger sense of attraction for her, but he shook his head to clear it of the sensation. He had to get Kitty help, and fast. He didn't have time to think of her in that way, nor the right to, given her condition.

Pushing up from the ground he flew at top speed in a bee line toward his home, making sure to keep both of them invisible so as to avoid any unwanted attention. He knew he'd have no problems getting her into the house and to the portal unless the Ghost Shield was up, which it wasn't when he left. The only problem he could foresee was if the portal was locked and either Mom or Dad was in the lab. He figured he could improvise in that case, maybe hiding Kitty in his room until the coast was clear.

In just minutes, he was within sight of Fenton Works, so he reduced his speed and started to descend. Flying slowly toward the building, he braced himself for the shock of the Ghost Shield, only to let out a sigh of relief as he bumped harmlessly into the side of the structure. Turning intangible, he made his way quickly through the walls and floors of the house, moving in a straight line for the basement.

As he entered the basement, he let out an internal groan; his mom and Jazz were there working on the 'Maddie Modulator', and the Ghost Portal was closed. Briefly reflecting on the fact that nothing ever came easy for him, he slid up behind his sister. "Jazz," he whispered, "it's Danny. I need you to open the portal."

Jazz gave a little jump of surprise but quickly recovered, glancing over at her mom to see if she noticed anything. Maddie was happily adjusting the frequency tuner on her invention, oblivious to the world around her. Breathing a sigh of relief, Jazz slowly backed away from the lab table she was sharing with her mom and calmly walked over to the control panel. Casting a quick glance over her shoulders at her mom, she activated the portal's biometric lock scanner with her thumb.

A loud 'WOOSH!' filled the basement as the portal's doors opened up, reveling a swirling green ectoplasmic vortex within. "Whoops! Wrong button!" Jazz said, covering her actions. She reached for another button and pressed it, activating the spot light over the lab table where her mom was working.

"Thanks honey, that light really helps," said Maddie, not even bothering to look up.

"Close the portal in fifteen seconds," Danny murmured into Jazz's ear. "I'll try to be no more than an hour, so open it up again then for five minutes. If you don't hear from me, close it and try again in another hour and so on. If I'm not back by midnight, send help."

Jazz nodded and softly mumbled, "Okay. Be careful, little brother."

Maddie lifted he head up from her work. "Did you say something, Jazz?"

"No, Mom."

"Well, be a dear and get me the voltmeter over there on the other table." Maddie turned her head back down to concentrate on her work. "I've got to get this frequency tuner working correctly just in case that terrible Ember ghost comes back."

Danny heard this just as he carried Kitty over the threshold into the portal, and the name exploded like fire in his head. Ember McLain; the one individual in all of the Ghost Zone who wasn't too keen on Johnny, was able to kick his ass _**and**_ was friends with Kitty. There was no one else that so perfectly fit the bill.

And as Danny felt himself slip from the human world into the Ghost Zone, he reflected once again that fate really did seem to be out to get him.

* * *

As he navigated through the Ghost Zone, Danny thought how fortuitous it was that he had taken the time to seek out and map all of his enemy's realms. There were so many doors of every shape and size here that trying to guess where they lead would have been futile. Still, the flight to Ember's realm took longer than Danny had planned, mainly due to an unexpected encounter with Klemper.

He was hanging out near the entrance to her realm, most likely still trying to get her to be his friend. Fortunately, Danny had the good sense to keep Kitty and himself invisible while traveling, and he was able to reroute around the annoying ghost. When Danny got next to Ember's door, he sent an ecto-blast into one of the floating chunks of rock strewn throughout the zone, causing a loud blast that drew the overweight ghost's attention. Seizing the window of opportunity, he tugged open the portal, shaped like the back stage door of a concert hall, and rushed in.

Danny wasn't exactly sure what he would find in Ember's realm, having never been in it before, but his imaginings of the place weren't too far off. A huge island of rock floated in the middle of the space, with several variously-sized buildings on its surface. The largest looked to be an open air arena, complete with stage, video screens, lighting systems and huge speakers situated in strategic locations. Next to it appeared to be a large warehouse, but the 'tags' on its walls suggested it might be a rave club or similar venue.

Down from that were several smaller buildings that appeared to be shops. Though Danny couldn't see their signs from this far away, he figured they had to have something to do with music. Several other non-descript buildings littered the surface of the rock, including a bar and what appeared to be an apartment building.

It was from that last structure that he saw the owner of the realm flying up to meet them, her blue hair blazing and guitar slung on her back. Danny was surprised to notice that she wasn't wearing her usual rocker-girl outfit, instead garbed in a black KISS t-shirt, loose jeans and high-top tennis shoes. Her usual eye make-up was missing too, and her lips had a light hue of pink to them. With the exception of the grey cast to her skin and blue hair she could have easily passed for one of his fellow Casper High students.

"Damn it, Klemper, how many times do I have to tell you…"

Ember came to an abrupt stop, suddenly realizing the intruder wasn't the annoying pajama wearing pest she usually had to chase off. This was a much more dangerous pest, and she brought her guitar up and at the ready. Her eyes narrowed in Danny's direction and her voice literally dripped venom. "What are you doing here, dipstick?!?"

If Danny could have, he'd have thrown up his hands in the traditional gesture of surrender, but carrying Kitty prevented it. "Truce, Ember; I'm not here to fight. I've got Kitty with me, and she's hurt really bad."

Ember's eyes flew open when she realized it was her friend that the ghost boy was holding. Then her hair flared and eyes narrowed, turning blood red as she cranked the power on her guitar up to eleven. Her voice, normally melodious even when she was angry, came out as a deep, menacing growl, "What did you do to her?"

Danny recognized that he could be in real trouble if he didn't diffuse the situation immediately. At times like these, he realized only the exact truth would do. "I didn't do anything. I found her like this. I'm pretty sure it was Johnny," Danny's face grimaced, "and I think he might have …raped her."

Ember's whole posture changed with those words. Crimson eyes changed back to their normal green hue, but they were wide open in shock. Her right hand no longer hung threateningly over the guitar strings but instead dangled listless at her side, and her entire posture seemed slumped. Ember's face held an expression of disbelief; her dropped jaw and mouth formed a perfect "O" shape. When she tried to speak, her mouth just moved, no words escaping it.

Danny pressed on; wanting to divert any animosity she might be feeling towards him. "I'm sorry, Ember, but I didn't know where else to go. I knew you Kitty and you were friends, and I know you can protect her while she recuperates."

Ember recovered a bit from her initial shock and looked hard at him. He seemed to be telling the truth, and for all she disliked him she knew he wasn't the type to lie. Besides, coming here to her realm was pretty gutsy, and she could respect that.

"Bring Kitty and follow me." She turned and flew back toward the apartment shaped building.

Danny let out a sigh of relief and immediately flew after her. When Ember reached the building she landed and went to the front door, holding it open for Danny. He landed next to her and smiled nervously, not used to a woman opening a door for him. He passed the threshold, took a few steps in and just stopped, looking around in awe.

The room he walked into was **huge**, easily as long and wide as the building itself seemed to be from the outside. Comfortable-looking sofas and chairs seemed to be situated throughout the room, and a large dining table complete with seating for eight sat off to one side. One wall held more guitars on it than Danny had ever seen in one place before, and beneath them was a place obviously set aside to write and practice her music. Another room near the table promised to be a kitchen, and a door on the back wall indicated another room (or rooms) existed beyond it.

Ember slid past Danny and smiled at his reaction to her place with a certain smugness; it gave her a good feeling to know that she could surprise him. Looking down at Kitty, though, brought her back to reality. "Put her on the sofa over there, the one with the big pillows. I'll grab a wet towel." With that, she disappeared into what Danny thought was the kitchen.

He carried Kitty over to the couch and laid her down gently, making sure to prop her head up with a pillow. Searching around he found a comforter on a nearby chair and draped it over her body. Looking down at her face he noticed the bruises seemed to be fading somewhat, confirming his theory that she would heal faster in the zone than in his world. He noticed a few hairs had strayed onto her face and brushed them back, his hand tingling as it came into contact with her cheek. He found himself staring deeply at her face, and his hand continued to lightly stroke her face.

Hearing a noise to his left snapped Danny out of his daydreaming and caused him to jerk his hand away from Kitty's face. He felt himself blush like a kid caught with his hand in a cookie jar, which embarrassed him even more. He wasn't sure why he felt that way, but it was really disconcerting.

Ember had exited the kitchen with a wet towel when she looked up and saw the ghost boy standing next to Kitty. He had his hand on her face and was looking at her…dreamily? Ember shook her head in amazement and then purposefully bumped into one of the dining chairs. She almost laughed aloud when Danny jerked upright and his cheeks went red. "_Stranger things in heaven and earth_, "she thought.

Ember pushed Danny aside and moved the comforter off of Kitty. "I've got something to clean her up with, and time will do the rest. So why don't you tell me what happened."

Danny recounted the story of finding her in the park crying and Johnny's appearance, as well as his talk with Jazz and encounter with the Box Ghost. "When I found her at the recycling station, her skirt was up over her hips and she was naked from the waist up. He clothes looked like they'd been ripped off, and I couldn't find her…err, undergarment anywhere."

If the situation hadn't been more serious Ember would have laughed at how uneasy Danny was about finding Kitty naked. Still, it felt good to see him squirm like this, and she couldn't help but make him even more uncomfortable. "So, where did she get the shirt?"

Danny blushed as the feelings he had when he put the shirt on her came flooding back in him. "I…I took mine off and…put it on her. It didn't seem right to be carrying her with her breasts …err…well, exposed like that."

Ember cracked a little smile as she cleaned the worst of the dirt and mud off of Kitty. The kid was such a boy scout it wasn't even funny. When she got past her waist and saw the mess between Kitty's legs, her anger burned hot again. "Damn, I never thought it would get this bad." She laid a hand on Kitty's shoulder. "Sorry, girlfriend, I should have done something more to help when he started to get mean."

Danny perked up at her statement, "How long has this been going on, her and Johnny I mean?"

Ember was gingerly cleaning the sticky fluids from around Kitty's private areas, seemingly ignoring his question. In reality, she was debating if she should tell him or not, especially considering the circumstances and his apparent involvement in them. She decided that it was most likely best that he know everything.

"It started with the time she overshadowed that girl you liked, the popular Hispanic chick. I think Johnny had taken her for granted for so long that when you seemed to pay attention to her, she started thinking about her relationship with him. Afterward, she was always on Johnny about spending time with her and how nice you were to her. I think it really grated on his nerves."

Danny could see how that might make a guy a bit jealous, but not possessive and abusive like Johnny was.

Ember started cleaning down Kitty's legs, her voice growing more somber as she continued. "Then they had a really bad fight because Johnny forgot the anniversary of their first date. He was working on his bike when Kitty confronted him about it. She accused him of caring about his bike more than her, and he just shrugged and rode off to Amity Park. When she, Penelope and I found him there flirting with another woman, Kitty got pretty pissed and gave him one of her special kisses."

Danny interrupted, "Yeah, my sister told me all about it."

Ember finished cleaning Kitty off and covered her up with the comforter again. Standing, up she looked the boy directly in the eyes. "Yeah, but what she didn't tell you was how pissed off Johnny was at being banished like that. When Kitty was dumped back into the Ghost Zone by your sister, he was waiting for her. He grabbed her pretty hard and rode off before Penelope or I could do anything about it."

Ember sat the towel down on a nearby table, looked down at Kitty and continued, "I didn't see her again for a week, and when I did she had a bruised cheek and black eye. She tried to explain it off, saying something lame about tripping or something, but I saw the look in her eyes; she was scared. Johnny showed up then and ordered her onto his bike. I thought she'd blow up at him for talking to her like that, but she just hung her head and heeled like a whipped dog. That's the last time I saw her, but I had heard from others that Johnny was treating her pretty badly."

Ember moved a chair to the couch up near Kitty's head and plopped down into it. She began to stroke her friend's hair softly and muttered, "I really didn't know he was capable of this. I should have done something when I had the chance."

Danny looked down at Ember with a newfound appreciation and respect. Without even thinking, he put a hand on her shoulder and lightly squeezed. "Well, here's your chance to help. I can't stay here to help her recover and keep her safe, but you can. I've fought both you and Johnny and I know you're stronger than him, so if he tries anything, you can stop him. And I'll be able to rest easy knowing you've got Kitty's back." Danny squeezed her shoulder a bit more. "Will you watch her in my place, Ember?"

She looked up into his bright blue eyes and couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I'll take care of her. After all, she is my friend."

Danny smiled back, "She's lucky to have such a good friend." Letting go of Ember's shoulder, he started walking toward the door. "I've got to go for now; curfew and all, you know. I'll be back as soon as I can though." He turned around and looked at Ember. "If it's okay, that is."

"Sure," she replied. But not wanting to seem too friendly, she called out as he turned toward the door, "Hey, dipstick; why do you even care about her anyway?"

That question brought Danny up short and left him holding the doorknob without turning it. "_Just why do I care?_" a small voice inside his mind asked. He was stumped when he couldn't pinpoint a logical reason why. Then his heart spoke up, and the words that came from his lips seemed right.

Turning his head, he looked directly at Kitty, a warm, soft smile gracing his features. "Because no one should be treated the way she has been. Kitty's a good person and deserves better, and I intend to see that she gets it." With that he opened the door and walked out, closing it behind him.

Ember watched as he left, her feelings on Danny mixed. He was her enemy, the one person who had thwarted her plans and beaten her at her own game time and again. But he was also one of the few people she'd ever met who truly cared about the well being of others. She really didn't know where Danny stood in her eyes at the moment, but she did know one thing for certain: the boy she had fought against and with those many times had grown into a man, and a good one at that.

* * *

Another set of eyes had watched him leave as well, and their owner also struggled with her feelings for Danny. The attraction she felt for him was growing stronger every time she was around him, even though she felt a little guilty about it. A part of her wished she'd met him under different circumstances, when she didn't have to be a damsel in need of rescue. But a smaller part, one that was shrinking daily, chastised her for her unfaithfulness.

Kitty sighed inwardly, confused about everything. She closed her eyes to rest, then drifted off to sleep. In her dreams, she was Paulina again, only Danny knew from the start that it was her. They were happy and smiling, enjoying a picnic in the park together as they held each other's hand.

But in the background she could hear the roar of a motorcycle engine, and her dream turned into a nightmare.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now onto"You're In My Thoughts".**

**(Be kind, and leave a review. Be even kinder, and select Story Alert. And if you want, leave a tip; I'm hungry and need money for a pizza.)**


	4. You're In My Thoughts

**This story is being written for **_**inuyashaxkagome321**_**, whose plea for more Danny/Kitty pairings could not go unheeded. I hope you like this chapter little one.**

**A VERY warm thanks goes out to my Beta Reader, DigitalPhantom, who is simply awesome! If you want to read something really special, go check out her work.**

**This is somewhat of a bridge chapter. Not a huge amount of action, but a lot of things that link the final two chapters together.**

**This story takes place after the "Livin' Large" episode. **

**As always, critical reviews are always appreciated. Actually any review is appreciated, except mindless flames with no useful substance.**

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

**Leaving a Boy for a Man**

**Chapter Four:**

_**You're In My Thoughts**_

* * *

Danny slowly opened the door from Ember's realm into the Ghost Zone, carefully looking around for any signs of ghosts. The last thing he needed now was to advertise where he had just been and give Johnny any clue to where Kitty was. He knew beyond a doubt that Ember could handle him should he come calling, but there was no reason to tempt fate.

Satisfied that he was alone, Danny slipped out and turned invisible, then flew off as fast as possible toward the location of the Fenton Portal. As he was making his way back, his thoughts turned to everything that had happened in the past two days. Danny knew that he had to figure out a way to confront Johnny and convince him to leave Kitty alone, but every time he tried to concentrate on the problem, his mind would fill with thoughts of Kitty.

Realizing the futility of trying to force his brain to come up with a solution, he just let his mind go where it would, and it went immediately to Kitty. He remembered how wonderful she smelled, how nice her skin felt next to his and the way her eyes seemed to catch and hold the nearby light, sending it dancing within them. Every detail of her face, hair and body made their way into his thoughts, and he just basked in the warmth of them.

The thoughts of Kitty's body brought up visions of her in his shirt, and the warm feelings began to turn more heated. Try as he might, Danny couldn't get the image of just how sexy she looked in it, how it pressed her breasts down and accentuated their soft, pillowy form. And oh, how it molded to her taut stomach, showing off her womanly curves and drawing the eyes down to her perfect hips. He could still remember the feel of her body rubbing against his as he carried her in his arms, and his manhood involuntarily responded to the memory.

Danny shook his head clear of those thoughts yet again, angry at himself for thinking of Kitty in that way. Yet he found that he couldn't totally rid himself of them. _Kitty is a beautiful woman_, he mused, _and she is rather nice, when she wants to be_. His feelings for her still left him confused though, and he really wasn't sure what to do about them.

_Maybe I should ask Jazz about it; she's pretty knowledgeable about things like this_. He dismissed the idea immediately. _No, she'd want to analyze the situation and spend hours discussing where my feelings came from and what I should do about them. Then she would probably make me feel even more guilty about having them in the first place_, _like I need that right now_. He felt a little guilty about not confiding in her, especially considering her initial help in the matter, but he wasn't ready to discuss personal matters like these with her.

Danny thought it over more as he flew home, then realized there was only one person he could talk to that wouldn't judge him: Tucker Foley. He might give Danny a bit of a hard time about having those kinds of thoughts about a ghost, but in the end would be a great sounding board. _It's settled then_, he said to himself. _Tomorrow_,_ I'll go over to Tucker's and tell him everything_.

_I'll just have to swear him to secrecy_, he added in his mind, _I really don't want Sam to know about this yet_. Keeping things from Sam felt weird to Danny, but after all that happened between her and him, he really wasn't sure what her reaction would be. He still cared very deeply for Sam and didn't want to have these feelings for Kitty, whatever they were, further muddying the waters between them. _No need to worry yet_, he thought. _Just get home unnoticed and we can take all of this a step at a time_.

Unfortunately for Danny, his thoughts on Kitty and Sam had left him too preoccupied to notice the fat, pubescent ghost following behind him the moment he left Ember's realm. The specter maintained what it thought was a respectable distance back, but was soon outdistanced by the much faster Phantom. The spirit slowed his pursuit, not really concerned with keeping up with the ghost boy. His new friend had asked him to just watch out for Danny and report back to him, nothing else.

Klemper immediately went in search of his new friend, eager to tell him everything he saw. Although he wasn't sure why he was asked to keep an eye out for the Phantom, the promise of friendship with the cool ghost had been enough to convince him to do it. He was sure that his new friend would be pleased with him, and even give him a ride on that cool motorcycle of his…

…just as Johnny had promised he would.

* * *

As Danny neared the Fenton Portal the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, a warning from his subconscious mind that something was amiss. He slowed down and began to take a more keen interest in his surroundings, looking for any signs of trouble. He immediately noticed a large chunk of rock floating near the portal, one that hadn't been there earlier. Staying invisible, he flew a wide course around it with the intent of coming up at it from the side opposite the glowing green entry into his world.

Once he maneuvered around to the other side, he saw Johnny 13 sitting astride his motorcycle, and his anger flared. Johnny appeared to be watching the Fenton Portal, for him or Kitty most likely, and seemed to be trying to keep hidden. Danny didn't see Shadow anywhere, but he was sure it was nearby, ready to aid the biker if need be. Danny knew he'd have to be careful confronting him now, both because of his anger and Johnny's apparent violent streak.

Keeping a decent distance away but close enough to quickly engage his target, Danny charged up an ice blast, thinking it would be better to incapacitate Johnny without doing a lot of damage. He resumed visibility and adopted an easygoing pose, holding the glowing blue ball of energy in his hand. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that staring at a Ghost Portal for too long can really give you eye strain?" Danny quipped, his tone dripping with a mixture of anger and sarcasm.

Johnny spun around toward the sound of Danny's voice so fast that he'd have given himself whiplash if he were still alive, and nearly fell off his bike in the process. Seeing the punk floating there, casually holding what appeared to be an energy blast, made Johnny realize he was at a distinct disadvantage. Still, he felt he could intimidate the boy into telling him where Kitty was if he played his cards right. It was all about keeping him off balance.

"Where's Kitty, punk?"

Danny assumed a more offensive stance against Johnny, "Sorry, she's unavailable at the moment, but I'll be happy to 'entertain' you in her absence."

Johnny assumed a more hostile pose as well. "You better talk little man, or you won't live to regret it."

Danny didn't flinch one bit. "What are you going to do, Johnny? Try to beat me up, then have you way with me like you forced Kitty to? Just so you know, I don't swing that way," Danny replied mockingly to the biker.

Johnny quickly realized that threats weren't going to work on the halfa, but perhaps he could still trip him up and get some information from him. "Force her? Is that what that skank told you? She likes it rough, so I gave it to her that way. Haven't you found that out for yourself yet?"

Danny's eyes shifted from green to ice-blue, and his voice took on a menacing tone, "Watch your mouth, Johnny. I know Kitty isn't that kind of girl."

The biker's laughter burrowed under Danny's skin like a tick, leaving him furious and ready for a fight. "Well, it sounds like someone is crushing on my girl. How cute, the little boy wants to try and fill a man's shoes. You better leave her to me, punk; you are certainly not man enough to handle her the way she needs to be."

"Real men don't hit women, Johnny," Danny replied, trying hard to purge the anger from his voice. "Only someone insecure in his masculinity would try and prove himself by beating up on the woman he supposedly loves."

Danny's words seemed to strike a nerve as the biker's eyes glowed red and venom dripped from his words, "**You fucking little shit!** I don't need a lecture from you on being a man! I'll find that bitch and teach her to disobey me! Then I'll show you that crossing Johnny 13 was a huge mistake!"

Danny smiled, feeling confident that he'd verbally turned the tables on the biker. "You won't be able to touch a hair on Kitty's head, Johnny. She's being cared for by someone you can't intimidate or beat, and they're not too fond of you either. And as soon as she's well enough, I'll be back to make sure she has the support she needs to ditch you for good." Unable to resist, Danny taunted the thug one more time. "Go somewhere and cool off, Johnny, before you hurt yourself."

Johnny's face screwed itself up into a mask of pure hate, all of it directed at Danny. In a flurry of motion, he revved his bike to life and screamed, "**SHADOW, ATTACK!**"

A blob of darkness tore itself away from Johnny and flew shrieking toward Danny, claws extended and eyes blazing green. Danny was ready though, and launched the ball of freezing energy at Shadow, just missing it when the creature veered at the last second. The beast adjusted its flight to renew the attack, but stopped short when it heard Johnny yell, "**SHADOW, RETURN!**" Shadow turned and saw the biker roaring away from the battle at top speed and flew off in pursuit, obeying its master's call.

Danny floated there, watching Johnny and his bad luck shadow flee, the energy he had called up for his next attack dissipating from his hands. He was surprised that the battle had ended so abruptly, thinking that as mad as Johnny had seemed he would have fought to the bitter end. Then he remembered something Jazz had told him a long time ago: abusers were usually cowards at heart and had no stomach for anyone who put up a real fight.

Danny just shook his head and turned toward the Ghost Portal, waiting for his sister to open it so he could return to his world. He almost wished Johnny had stayed and fought, and the thought of blasting him and his shadow for what they did to Kitty made Danny smile. _At least I know he's afraid of me_, Danny mused, _and it will make confronting him next time a lot easier_.

If Danny had seen the smile on Johnny's face as he roared away, he might have thought differently. Johnny had figured that Kitty was in the Ghost Zone; now, thanks to the runt, he knew that some ghost was hiding and protecting her, and he was sure that the list of suspects was short. He already had some 'friends' watching the entrances to the realms of those he suspected might help the Phantom, so now all he had to do was wait for the punk to come back and show him which one it was.

Up ahead, Johnny saw a slow, fat ghost in pajamas flying toward him, looking excited and waving to get his attention. Johnny's smile became predatory as he slowed his bike to a stop and waited for the annoying little spook to report what he had seen.

Perhaps the wait wouldn't be very long at all.

* * *

Danny only had to wait a few minutes before he saw the portal activate, and he immediately flew through it and out the other side into the lab. He was met by Jazz, who was in her night clothes and holding a very nasty-looking gun in his direction.

"Whoa, Jazz, it's me! Don't shoot!" Danny said, throwing his hands up in front of him and going intangible.

His sister quickly lowered the weapon and activated the portal lock, sealing off the Fenton Portal from further access. "Jeez, Danny, I was getting worried. It's already past 11! I thought I was going to have to get Sam and Tucker and come in after you."

Danny floated to the ground and willed the change back to his human self, feeling the effects of maintaining ghost form for so long. "Wow, I didn't think I had been gone that long. It's easy to lose track of time in the zone; I'm going to have to start carrying a watch or something." He yawned then, stretching his arms over his head, "Man, I'm bone tired."

Stowing the gun in its proper shelf, Jazz turned toward Danny and looked him over. She noticed immediately that he was missing his shirt, but other than looking exhausted, he seemed to be okay. "Danny, where's your shirt?"

Looking down at his bare chest, he realized that he'd left it with Kitty. That thought prompted others, but he kept them at bay. "Long story, Jazz, one that can wait until the morning. I need sleep in the worst way."

She moved up and put her arms around her brother, hugging him fiercely. "I'm just glad you're back home and safe. I was really afraid something happened to you."

Danny hugged her back, thankful he had a sister like Jazz. "I'm fine; now, let's get to bed."

They both quietly headed upstairs to their respective rooms, and Danny flopped into his bed as soon as he had changed his clothes. Exhaustion made sleep come easy, and dreams soon followed. In them, he was at the park with Paulina, only it wasn't her, it was Kitty. They were having a wonderful time enjoying the fresh air and sunshine, but then it suddenly began to rain. Running under a nearby pavilion, they huddled together in each other's arms, and that drew them into a long, slow kiss that went on forever.

Lying in bed asleep Danny's face lit up with a soft smile, and the word 'Kitty' escaped from his lips.

* * *

At that same moment, Ember was sitting in a chair next to the couch that Kitty was lying in, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She had been awakened when her friend moaned out "Danny" in her sleep and began to thrash about. Ember had laid a calming hand on her head and softly sang a little song that her mother had used to calm her when she was scared. Kitty had settled down after that and Ember resumed her watch over her friend.

Then, Ember felt a spirit enter her realm, and she quickly got up and moved to the window of her home. Scanning the skies above, she saw no intruders, but still felt some kind of presence. Looking over her shoulder to make sure Kitty was resting quietly, Ember moved to her door and stepped outside, scanning everywhere for the being she felt. After a minute or two, the feeling was gone, and in her slightly fatigued condition she figured it must have been Klemper trying to peek through her door again.

Ember walked back into her home, shut the door and walked into her kitchen. Even though she was a ghost, she still needed some sleep, but until either Kitty was up and about or the dipstick relieved her she needed something to help her stay awake. She rummaged around and came back to her chair sipping an energy drink, her nose crinkling at the bitterness of its taste.

Silently, she cursed Johnny for hurting her friend and causing all this trouble, and wished he would show up right now so she could kick his ass and then go to bed. Sighing in frustration, she settled on making her chair a bit more comfortable with a few more throw pillows. She didn't think Johnny would consider looking for Kitty in her realm, and even if he did, he wasn't stupid enough to come in and challenge her here.

So Ember sat in her chair, sipping her drink and keeping an eye on Kitty, never realizing she was only half right. Johnny now knew that his girlfriend was in Ember's realm, and he was making plans to get her back even as Ember settled into her chair. But she was right that he wouldn't dare enter her realm…

…at least not when he had a shadow that had done it for him.

* * *

Danny woke up the next day around noon, the sound of his mother moving about upstairs pulling him out of a deep slumber. He sat up on the edge of his bed and stretched, loosening up stiff arm, leg and torso muscles. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes he stripped naked and shuffled into the shower, cranking up the heat and letting the hot water cascade over him. It took several minutes under the shower head before he was truly awake, then he reached for the shampoo and began getting ready for the day.

As he showered, he began reflecting on his dreams from last night, the images of which curled his lips into a smile. He remembered picnics in the park, walking hand in hand along the lake shore, hanging out at the Nasty Burger and cuddling in the theater watching a movie; in each instance, it was Kitty at his side, looking up at him with adoration in her eyes. Each dream had felt so real; from the warmth of her smile, the soft, moist feeling of her mouth on his and the nearly electrical shocks he got when she pressed up next to him. These thoughts of Kitty left Danny with a euphoric sensation deep within him; one he was beginning to think was worth exploration.

His final dream, the one his mom's noisy activities had pulled him from, involved Kitty and him in a car, parked up at Lover's Point, overlooking the lake. The images of the dream weren't entirely clear, but he remembered making out with Kitty, touching her and being touched and her low moans as he searched out her pleasure centers with his hands. Although he couldn't remember exactly what she was wearing in the dream, his imagination placed her in a tight leather mini-skirt, shear black stockings and boots, and his tight, white t-shirt.

The picture he formed of her in his mind, laying there in the back seat, eyes smoldering in desire, begging for his touch, made him become aroused beyond belief. Looking down, he saw the effect his daydreaming was having on his body, and he realized that simply ignoring his attraction for Kitty wasn't working. Holding onto the vision he had conjured of her, he reached down and took matters into his own hands, desperate to have some relief from the yearnings plaguing him.

After his shower and release, Danny got dressed and headed downstairs. It was quiet in the house, the only noise coming up from the lab. He didn't see or hear Jazz anywhere, but he wasn't surprised; she usually hung out at the library on Sundays. Grabbing a frozen sandwich from the freezer, he quickly heated it up in the microwave, then devoured it as he headed downstairs.

As he approached the lab, he heard the distinctive, booming voice of his father, "I'm tellin' ya Maddie, with this little device, opening and closing the Fenton Portal will be a snap!"

Danny walked into the lab and found his father pointing a small, silver box at the portal aperture, pressing a button that seemed to open and close the doors to it. His mother was there too, with a look on her face that told Danny she was humoring his father as usual. Dad always got over excited whenever he came up with some new invention or gizmo, regardless of how insignificant it was. This time looked to be no exception.

Maddie looked past Jack and noticed her son was in the room. "Good morning, sweetie! I'm glad you're finally up. It's a beautiful day outside and you should…"

Jack pushed past her and came at Danny like a preschooler showing off a new toy. "Hey, Danny, check this out! I call it the Fenton Ecto-Remote Passkey, or F.E.R.P. for short. This baby can open and close the Fenton Portal from anywhere in the world with just the touch of this biometric button." Jack demonstrated the device, and the portal opened and closed with a press of his thumb. "Pretty neat, eh, Danny?!?"

Danny looked down at the thing in his Dad's hand, then back up into his eyes. "It's a garage door opener."

Unfazed, Jack pressed the button several more times, causing the portal to whoosh open and closed. "Yeah, but it's a garage door opener with the word 'Fenton' on it!" Sure enough, Danny saw the name in green letters on the side of the device.

"Danny, the Fenton Ecto-Remote Passkey does more than just open and close the portal, " Maddie explained, "it uses a unique ectoplasmic signature that can control the portal's operation from anywhere, including from inside the Ghost Zone. And by using biometric recognition software and an ecto-frequency oscillator, it prevents unauthorized tampering with the Fenton Portal."

"Yeah, and it's got this really cool clock on it too." Jack turned his creation over to show a LED screen flashing '12:00' across its face. "Now if only I could figure out how to set the time," he mused.

Danny was bursting at the seams with joy. Every so often his bumbling, well-meaning father would create a real gem of a tool, and this one solved a serious problem that he had routinely faced. "Did you make just one Dad?"

Jack saw the admiration in his son's eyes and he beamed with pride, "Heck no, I've got one for each of us, and I even made them pocket-sized!" Jack handed Danny a remote similar to the one he had, only a tiny bit smaller.

Danny realized the only pocket the gizmo would fit into was one of his Dad's, but he wasn't going to complain. "Thanks Dad, this is really great!"

Jack got all teary-eyed at his son's compliment, "You're welcome, Danny. Hey, you know what this calls for?!?"

Danny and Maddie both looked at each other, "Fudge," they said in tandem.

"You're darn right it does!" exclaimed Jack. "Come on, Maddie, let's go to that new candy store downtown. I hear they have over one hundred different flavors of fudge!" And with that, Jack was bounding up the stairs four at a time.

Maddie just sighed and shook her head. "Are you coming with us, dear?" she asked.

Danny chuckled, actually feeling his Mom's pain, "No thanks, I'm going to head over to Tucker's and hang with him today."

"Okay dear, just remember that your father and I will be leaving for the symposium on ghost hunting tonight and won't be back till tomorrow evening. I left a casserole for you in the fridge for dinner, and some money on the counter…just in case."

Danny shook his head and laughed again. His Mom's cooking was famous for spontaneously animating and attacking anyone who dared touch it. "I'll be fine, Mom. Have a good time at the conference."

"Okay, sweetie, take care and call if you have any problems." Maddie hugged her son and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, causing Danny to flinch and mutter something about being too old for that.

"Let's go, Maddie!" Jack bellowed from upstairs, "We're burning valuable fudge-eating time!"

"Coming!" Maddie replied as she walked up the steps, bracing herself for an outing with Jack, and fudge.

Danny continued to chuckle at his parents' expense. They were really weird, but he loved them anyway. After a bit he took the remote, pointed it at the Fenton Portal and pressed the button, pleased to hear the 'whoosh' as it opened, then closed several seconds later. _Well, this solves one problem_, he mused. _Time to get some advice on the other_.

He shifted quickly into Phantom form and flew intangible and invisible up through the floor, out a wall and over to Tucker's house, hoping his friend could help him sort out his new feelings for Kitty.

* * *

Klemper cowered in front of Johnny, not sure why his new friend was so mad at him. He had done exactly what the biker had told him to, and he seemed happy with the news that the Phantom had been in Ember's realm. Now he wanted Klemper to stay hidden in the area by her door and watch for his girlfriend, Kitty, to come out. Klemper had just asked if he and Johnny could go for a ride first, but the biker had yelled that now wasn't the time.

"Watch out for Kitty and come get me as soon as possible, **then** we can go riding, not before!"

Klemper groveled at Johnny's feet, "Okay, I'll wait out here and watch because I'm you friend. But when Kitty comes out, we'll go riding together, right?"

The biker suppressed a shudder; he hated dealing with this loser. "Yeah, of course we will, I promise. Now find some place to hide, and get me as soon as she comes out."

Johnny revved up the engine and pealed out, leaving the miserable wretch behind. _I should have just left Shadow to watch for her_, he thought, but quickly dismissed the idea. If he ran into the punk again without his dark companion, he'd be at a serious disadvantage. He'd just have to settle for using idiots like Klemper for now.

Besides, once he had Kitty back in his control, he'd make sure to fix it where this never happened again.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now onto"Pains of Love Lost"!**

**Be kind, and leave a review. Be even kinder, and select Story Alert. And if you're a 30 to 45 year old female lingerie model with red hair, leave your phone number. (Just kidding.)**


	5. Pains of Love Lost

**This story is being written for **_**inuyashaxkagome321**_**, whose plea for more Danny/Kitty pairings could not go unheeded. I hope you like this chapter little one.**

**A VERY warm thanks goes out to my Beta Reader, DigitalPhantom, who is simply awesome! If you want to read something really special, go check out her work.**

**Lots of angst here, with some occasional humor. You've been warned, but you've been warned before, and still, here you are… **

**This story takes place after the "Livin' Large" episode. **

**As always, critical reviews are always appreciated. Actually any review is appreciated, except mindless flames with no useful substance.**

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

**Leaving a Boy for a Man**

**Chapter Five:**

_**Pains of Love Lost**_

* * *

Danny drifted towards Tucker's bedroom window and phased through it, touching down and quickly shifting back to his now visible human half. "Hey Tuck, how's it going?"

Foley jumped about a foot in the air from fright, "Jeez Danny, don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Danny laughed at his friend; that trick never got old. "Sorry Tucker, I'll try to remember to knock next time." Remembering why he was here, Danny became serious. "I've got something I have to talk to you about Tuck, something important," then he quickly added, "and you can't breathe a word of it to Sam."

"Um, is there any chance we could talk about this later?" Tucker replied. Danny noticed his friend seemed nervous, but he ignored it and pressed forward.

"Tucker, I've got a problem. It's Kitty, I found her in the park Friday night after we split up. She was beaten pretty badly, and it turns out Johnny was the one who did it. He even raped her and left her at the recycling center half naked."

Foley's eyes flew open at this, "No way! Are you sure?"

Danny nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure. She had bruising around her…you know." Danny pointed downward, then continued, "I picked her up, took her to the Ghost Zone and left her with Ember."

"You went to Ember's with her?!?" Tucker exclaimed, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"I didn't know where else to take her, I couldn't exactly keep her in my room." The thought of Kitty lying in bed next to him, wearing that shirt of his sent pleasant shivers through Danny's body. He cleared his mind of those thoughts and continued, "Besides, Ember's her friend, and I knew she'd keep Kitty safe until she was well enough for me to take her."

Tucker was utterly confused by that last statement, "Wait a minute, what do you mean 'take her'? Take her where?"

Danny began to pace, knowing the time had come to tell Tucker everything. "I need her with me, to keep her safe, Tucker. I had a confrontation with Johnny and he as much as admitted he was going to beat Kitty for involving me in their problems. And I refuse to let that slimy jerk to lay another finger on her."

Danny had said that last statement with such intensity that it caused Tucker to take a step back. "I know what Johnny did was wrong, but why are you so concerned about Kitty? She's tough; can't she handle herself?"

Danny stopped and looked up at Tucker, "No, she can't. Jazz said she's in both a cycle of abuse _**and**_ dependence. She's afraid of Johnny and won't leave or stand up to him without help. I need to be there to help her." Danny resumed his pacing, trying to gear himself up for what he knew was coming next.

Tucker just shook his head, not sure what to make of all this, "But why you? Why don't you just let Ember, or some other ghost handle this? You got her help, isn't that enough?"

Danny stopped near Tucker's bathroom door, leaning his head against it, "You can never do enough for a person when you...care about them," he said in a whisper.

His statement hit Foley like an electrical charge, causing his jaw to drop and eyes to pop open. When he recovered from the shock of it, Tucker immediately realized he had to stop this conversation and get Danny out of his room. "Um, dude, we really should talk about this some other time, maybe when you've had time to think it over."

Danny spun around and walked toward his friend, "Don't you think I've thought about it? I can't do anything **BUT** think about it! Asleep or awake, all I can think about is Kitty! I came to you to for advice on this; I really don't know what to do!"

Tucker could see that Danny was really conflicted inside, and his heart went out to his friend, but Danny really needed to shut up. "Look man, let's talk about this tonight at your place, say, around eight o'clock?"

Danny stared open-mouthed at his friend, completely confused by Tucker's apparent lack of concern over his problem. "Tuck, what the hell! Why are you trying to blow me off? I think I might be falling for a ghost and you're acting like you could care less!"

Tucker flinched at that statement, then started to fidget nervously. Danny looked closer and saw sweat beads forming over his friend's lip and forehead. If he didn't know better, he'd think Tucker was scared about something.

"Tucker, what's going on? Why are you acting like this?"

Before Foley could even get a word out, they both heard the toilet in his bathroom flush. Danny's heart stopped and his hands began to sweat as he realized they weren't alone. At the sound of the door opening he turned around…

…right into the angry gaze of Sam Manson.

"What are you doing here?" Danny blurted out, regretting it almost instantly.

Sam had her hands on her hips and an icy look in her eyes, "I'm Tucker's friend, why shouldn't I be here? And unlike some of his friends, I call ahead to make sure I'll be welcome in his home!"

Danny flinched at her comment, unsure of how to respond, "I was just wondering why you were here right now, what you and Tucker were doing?" He flinched again, realizing he had made another bad choice in words.

"Not that it's any of your business, _Daniel_, but if you must know Tucker and I are going to see a movie _**together**_!" Sam hissed.

Danny knew Sam was pissed if she was calling him by his proper name, and he wasn't sure he like the way she emphasized 'together'. Before he could say anything she interrupted him, "What, you get to out and play hero, saving damsels in distress, but we have to just sit at home by ourselves and wait for you to call? Think again! We have a life outside of your hero business, and we intend to live it!"

Danny realized he was fighting a losing battle with Sam, and decided to cut his losses, "I'm sorry Sam, I guess I shouldn't have interrupted your plans with Tucker."

Sam however wasn't satisfied, "Don't apologize to me, apologize to Tucker; it's his room you burst into unannounced!"

Tucker threw up his hands and took a step back, "Hey, I'm cool with Danny…"

"Oh jeez!" Sam stormed past Danny and up to Tucker, linking her arm in his and dragging him out his bedroom door, "Let's just go, Tucker. You can let yourself out, right, _Daniel_?"

Tucker looked back at Danny and mouthed, "_Sorry, dude,"_ as he was pulled out of the room.

Danny stood there for a moment, unable to believe what just happened. Finally, he shifted to Phantom and phased invisible through the ceiling and into the air. He glanced down at Sam and Tucker leaving through the front door, Sam still tugging him along by the arm, and flew off toward home. In his heart, Danny knew any hope of reconciliation with Sam was gone, and he wept his last tears over the loss.

* * *

Down below, Tucker had finally gotten his feet underneath him and was able to untangle himself from Sam. "You know, you really hurt him back there. He came to me for help and you cut him deep."

Sam didn't really hear him, and she could barely see where she was going through the tears streaming from her eyes. When Danny was telling Tucker about finding and rescuing Kitty, Sam was so proud of him. His actions reminded her of just why she had fallen in love with him in the first place. She had even intended to walk out of the bathroom and hug Danny and tell him how proud she was of him. Things had been strained lately between them, which was the real reason why she was at Tucker's: to get his advice. This turned out to be the opportunity she was looking for to patch things up with Danny and at least return to the easy-going friendship they all once shared.

She actually had her hand on the door handle when she heard Danny's whispered confession: "Y_ou can never do enough for a person when you…care about them_." Sam's heart had stopped beating for what seemed an eternity; he cared about another woman. And when she heard Danny admit that Kitty was all he could think about, a part of her died. She had been replaced; in less than a month, Danny had found another girl to be with, and she was a ghost no less.

Her blood had boiled at that thought, and it hardened her heart more than she thought possible. She wanted to hurt Danny for those cruel words he had spoke, to make him feel the pain he'd caused her. She tried to be spiteful, tried to bait him into a major argument, but true to form, Danny just turned inward and refused to fight back. That had been the hardest blow of all.

"Sam? **SAM!**" Can you hear me? We're going the wrong way, the theater's over this way," Foley said, cutting through Sam's reverie.

Sam felt Tucker tugging on her arm in the direction of the movie house, but she pulled herself from his grasp and ran away as fast as she could. Away from him, away from Danny, away from everything. Fresh tears poured from her eyes, streaking makeup down her face with their passage. When she realized she was in the park, she steered herself toward a huge willow tree by the pond, one she used to sit under when she wanted to be alone.

When she reached the old tree, she climbed in underneath its trailing branches, curled up into a ball and sobbed in grief. Sam knew now that she'd never get over Danny; she loved him too much to ever truly be free of him. She also knew that she could never see or hear from him again; to do so would tear her heart apart and leave her dead inside. She'd ask her parents to move, give them any reason she could to convince them. She had to get as far away from anything that reminded her of Danny Fenton.

And as she cried under that tree, she realized that the pain she was feeling was all her own doing.

* * *

Tucker gave up pursuit of Sam and nearly collapsed on a corner of the main street, bent over and breathing heavily as he watched her run away from him. He didn't entirely know what was wrong, but he knew it had something to do with her and Danny. He reflected on the fact that just a few short weeks ago, everything was fine…well, the status quo was fine. Danny liked Sam but was afraid to tell her and vice versa. Then he got the bright idea to force the situation out in the open, to make Danny tell Sam his true feelings for her.

That Sam had rejected Danny came as a real shock to Tucker. Now, Danny was confessing he had feelings for a ghost, Sam was falling to pieces over the whole thing and Tucker didn't know what to do or say. He saw his two best friends, two people who he _**knew**_ in his heart loved each other, start to pull away from the other at an alarming rate. Tucker just held his head in shame, panting heavily…

… realizing that it was all his own doing.

* * *

Danny arrived home to an empty house, and his already doleful mood sunk even further. He wandered around each room confirming the fact that he was alone, then collapsed on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He thought about calling Mom or Jazz, but didn't know what he would say to them. _Mom, Jazz, the girl I loved now hates my guts and I'm falling for a woman who's actually a ghost hiding from her psycho boyfriend _just didn't seem to be the right thing to tell them. He felt more alone at this moment than he had ever been in his life, with no friends to turn to and a problem that no teen in his right mind would discuss with parents.

_Actually, I do have friends, so to speak_, Danny mused. One was the master of time, a being of such power and omniscient ability that Danny always felt humbled in his presence. Another was a ten foot plus tall snow beast that treated Danny like he was the messiah. Then, there was his female clone that was in danger of destabilizing at any minute and flying around loose somewhere in the world. And who could forget the two canines in his life: one a playful puppy that could turn into a psycho monster at the slightest provocation, and the other an Esperanto-speaking wolf man running from the law?

_Oh yeah_, Danny thought sarcastically, _I am surrounded by a host of friends, not one of which I can discuss my problems with_.

Laying on his bed and thinking of the ghosts he knew did focus Danny's mind back on Kitty. Thoughts of her caused him to smile for the first time in an hour, and a large part of him longed to be in her presence again. Then, he remembered that Ember was expecting him back to help take care of Kitty, and since this was a three day weekend he didn't have to worry about school tomorrow. He thought about it for a moment, then decided that being with Kitty, even if she wasn't feeling up to par, was a whole lot better than moping around the house alone.

With that decision made, he decided to take another shower and put on some nicer clothes. He wasn't sure why he decided to do it, but he rationalized that you should always be presentable when calling on a lady. Splashing on a bit of his favorite cologne, he checked himself in the mirror, his navy button-up polo shirt and freshly pressed blue jeans with clean sneakers should make a good impression. And he was sure his Mom wouldn't miss the flowers in the vase on the kitchen table; after all, a gentleman always brings flowers to a lady.

Once he was cleaned up and ready, he headed down to the lab, willed himself into the Phantom and pointed his F.E.R.P. (Dad really needed to come up with a new name for this thing) at the Fenton Portal. The doors opened with a 'whoosh' of hydraulics and Danny flew through them invisibly into the Ghost Zone. Once there, he decided it would be best to take a less-obvious route, just in case Johnny had some means of detecting him while invisible.

And the longer route would give him time to get his thoughts concerning Kitty in order.

* * *

Kitty slowly fought her way up through the fog of unconsciousness, her eyes blurry with sleep and unable to clearly see anything. She reached up and rubbed them, trying to remove the fuzziness of her vision and take in her surroundings. As her sight cleared, she realized that she was in someone's home, and the moment Kitty saw all the guitars on the wall, she remembered it was Ember's apartment. She glanced around and eventually saw her friend sitting in a chair next to the couch she was on, a worried expression on her face.

"Welcome back to the living," Ember said with a slight grin on her face, "well, so to speak, that is. How are you feeling?"

Kitty thought about the question for a moment, mentally assessing herself. Her face and stomach hurt somewhat from where Johnny had hit her, and her womanhood felt burning and raw. The thought of what Johnny had done to her there made her feel sick, but at least she still existed. "I feel like a motorcycle ran me over, literally."

Ember actually flinched at Kitty's choice of words. Based on what the dipstick told her, she wouldn't be surprised if Johnny did indeed run her over with his bike. "Well, just rest easy, you're safe here with me."

Looking up at her friend, Kitty could see that she hadn't slept in a long while, and had probably stayed awake the entire time to keep an eye on her. "How long have I been out for?"

"The dipstick brought you here late last night, and it's about midday right now, so I'd say about nineteen, twenty hours tops," she replied.

Kitty ignored her friend's insult of Danny, and instead concerned herself with the way Ember looked, "And you've been up watching over me the whole time, haven't you? Hon, you need to get some rest; you look terrible."

Chuckling at Kitty's comment, Ember gave her friend the once over, "You don't look too fresh yourself, girlfriend." Growing suddenly more serious, Ember looked Kitty directly in the eyes, "He really hurt you this time, Kitty. If the Boy Scout hadn't found you when he did, I'm not sure you would have made it. What the hell happened?"

Kitty looked away, unable to face even her best friend at the moment. Tears began to form at the corner of her eyes, and a sob forced its way up past her lips. Ember wrapped her arms around Kitty and held her as she fought to keep hold of her emotions. For several minutes the two women just held each other tight, an occasional sob from Kitty the only thing to break the silence. In time, her tears stopped flowing and Kitty pulled away from Ember, looking at the floor as she spoke.

"Johnny has been hitting me a lot lately. At first, it was only a slap upside the head when I talked back to him, but lately it's gotten worse. We were in Amity Park a couple nights back and he was hitting on this girl. It pissed me off and I kinda insulted him. He took me to the park and threatened to leave me, then hit me in the face and stomach. He left me there to go back to the girl he met. Danny found me in the park and tried to help me."

Kitty's voice and demeanor lightened when she mentioned Danny, "He held me close and stroked my hair, telling me it would be all right. I felt so safe in his arms, but when he asked me what happened I couldn't tell him; I was too ashamed."

Her inflection and mood darkened again, "Then Johnny came back and found us there. He ordered me back on his bike, told Danny to leave us alone and took off. I tried to tell Danny what was wrong, wanted to beg for his help but I couldn't…I just couldn't." Kitty began to cry again, and reached out for her friend.

Ember wrapped her arms around Kitty again, "Shhhh, it's ok, it's ok. Take your time, girlfriend."

Another minute passed before Kitty spoke, although this time, she stayed in Ember's arms. "Johnny rode out to this dump with me and stopped, ordering me off his bike. We argued for several minutes, then he got really mad and slapped me to the ground. I yelled at him, asking him why he couldn't be more of a nice guy like Danny."

Kitty shivered in Ember's arms, "That made him really mad. He began to kick me all over, and finally knocked me unconscious with a blow to the head. The next thing I knew I was naked on the ground, Johnny on top, with him choking me while he…he…," she began to shake even harder, and Ember could feel fresh tears soaking through her shirt.

"Shhh, it's okay, you don't have to say…," was all Ember managed to get out.

"**HE RAPED ME**!" Kitty cried out, "He was laughing and calling me a whore, telling me how worthless I was, how much I was enjoying what he was doing! I begged him to stop, but he just kept going and hitting me harder! Then he finished inside of me, got dressed, and started to kick me, chortling the whole time!" Kitty deflated into Ember's chest, harsh sobs racking her tiny frame, "**WHY? WHY DID HE DO IT?!?** I...loved him, and…**HE RAPED ME!**"

Kitty broke down and cried hard, clinging tightly to her friend as her body trembled uncontrollably. Ember was shaking now as well, but in pure rage over what Johnny had done to Kitty. She wanted to find him, smash his bike, hurt him real bad and leave him to rot. She swore that if she ever had the chance, he would pay for what he'd done, but for now she had to concentrate on helping Kitty get back on her feet and heal her wounds.

The trouble was that some wounds were harder to heal than others, and only real love could help mend them.

* * *

As he flew through the Ghost Zone, Danny couldn't believe how nervous he was feeling, and he found himself wishing he had proper pants to wipe his sweaty palms on. _Just relax_, he told himself, _it's only Kitty_. The words reverberated in his mind and conjured up all the images of her he had dreamed about, including the one of her in his t-shirt. _Man, I have really got to get my shirt back and that image out of my mind_, he mused.

The thought of that sports shirt, heavy with her scent after wearing it for a day, invaded Danny's thoughts and made him painfully aware of his raging hormones. He had to calm down before getting to Ember's, so he thought of anything he could to take his mind off of Kitty. After recounting one of the more recent lectures that Mr. Lancer had given on neo-romantic authors of the late eighteen hundreds, Danny felt his ardor cool.

He managed it just in time too, because the door to Ember's realm was immediately ahead. He saw Klemper hiding behind the familiar floating rock near her door but paid him no mind. He was surprised that Ember hadn't chased the annoying fat ghost away yet, but he knew from experience that Klemper was hard to get rid of.

Danny floated quietly up to the door and slipped inside, becoming visible as he did so. Looking down he saw the island of stone that Ember's home was situated on, and he took a deep breath to settle himself. Quickly floating down toward the 'apartment' door he touched down and willed the shift back to his human form. Taking one last look over his appearance, he brushed his fingers through his hair, knocked on the door…

…and tried his best not to sweat.

* * *

Kitty cried for several minutes, clutching Ember tightly and riding out the emotions that ravaged her body. In time, she stopped shaking and her tears abated, then she released Ember from her grip. Dragging her hand over her eyes, she sniffed, then looked up into her friend's eyes, "Thank you for being here for me. I'm so sorry I dragged you into this."

She was surprised to see that her friend had cried as well, and was overwhelmed by it. "No, Kitty, I'm sorry; sorry I didn't do more to help you. Sorry I didn't stop Johnny when I had the chance." Ember picked up some tissues from a nearby table, offering Kitty one as she dried her eyes with another. "I just hope the dipstick beats the crap out of him for this."

Kitty blew into the tissue, the constant crying having caused her sinuses to drain. "Ember, I know you don't like Danny, but please stop calling him 'dipstick', at least around me. He's a good man, and he means well." She tossed the tissue on a nearby table, then looked back at Ember, "What did you mean about Danny beating up Johnny?"

Ember shrugged her shoulders, "It was obvious when he left here last night that he was going to find Johnny. I just hope the Boy Scout does more than talk him to death."

Fear ripped through Kitty and she tried to stand up, "Oh my God! What if Johnny hurts him? I can't let that happen! I've got to stop him!"

Ember laid a gentle hand on Kitty's shoulder and pushed her back down on the couch, "You're in no shape to go anywhere. Besides, the little dip…I mean, Danny can take care of himself. "

Kitty allowed herself to relax, but the concern on her features didn't go away. "I hope he's okay. I don't know what I'd do if Danny got hurt."

Ember looked closely at her friend, watching the way her eyes lit up whenever she mentioned his name, and a sly look came over her features, "So, how long have you had the hots for him?"

"What are you talking about?" Kitty asked, fully aware of what her friend was referring to.

Ember gave her a knowing look, "You like Danny; it's written all over your face."

_Was it really that obvious,_ Kitty thought. "Come on, Ember, I mean he's nice and all, but he's just a kid." _Just a kid that makes your heart race every time you're near him_, her conscience added.

Ember snorted in rebuttal, "That 'kid' is more of a man than most men I've met. You know, a girl could do a lot worse than him. He may be a pain in the ass goody two shoes, but he cares. And it's obvious he cares a great deal for you."

Kitty's heart beat faster, and she hoped that Ember was right. Still, she wasn't sure, "I'm think you're just seeing things Ember. Besides, why would he want someone like me?" Kitty held her head low, a part of her believing her last statement was true.

Ember just shook her head, stood up and walked to the window. She knew Kitty liked Danny, but Johnny's hold over her wasn't quite broken. She still saw herself as worthless and unattractive, and couldn't accept that any man other than the biker would have her. Ember knew that Kitty would have to work that out for herself, she just hoped that Danny could help her through it and not break her heart more.

"Do whatever you think is best Kitty, but missed opportunities will haunt you forever. Trust me," Ember said sadly, remembering the life she once had, "I know better than anyone."

Kitty looked up at her friend, noting the slump to her shoulders. She didn't know the full story of how Ember ended up a ghost, but she knew it had something to do with a love lost. She thought about how she and Johnny had met, and died, together. She looked back on everything without rose-colored glasses and saw all the signs that showed Johnny's true character. _I can't believe how blind I was_, she mused, _or how he managed to get me to fall in love with him_.

Then she thought of Danny, and felt a warmth spread through her whole body. She knew he was loyal to a fault, courageous and kind, and would never hurt someone intentionally. And he was cute…sexy actually. He had that boyish innocence and charm that she just couldn't resist. She could be very happy with someone like him, if only she knew for certain that he felt the same in return. Kitty only hoped she'd get the chance to find out.

"Did Danny say if he was coming back or not?" she asked.

Ember smiled, having just felt a familiar presence enter her realm seconds before. Looking out the window, she saw Phantom floating in the air before dropping toward her home. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll be back."

She almost laughed at the bubbly excitement in Kitty's voice, "Really? I wonder when?"

Stepping away from the window, Ember made her way slowly toward the door. "Oh, I'd say right about…now," and with that, there was a knock on the door.

Kitty shot straight up from the couch, eyes wide in panic. "Is that him?"

Ember just reached for the door knob and grinned, nodding her head up and down.

"Oh my God! I can't let him see me like this! My hair and clothes are a complete wreck! I need to clean up, get some make-up on and put on something nice …"

Ember cut her off, a smug look on her face, "Calm down Kitty. My room's over there behind that door, so help yourself to whatever you need."

Kitty smiled nervously and rushed toward the door, "Stall him, I need time!"

Unable to resist, Ember waited until Kitty was just closing the bedroom door before shouting, "But Kitty, it's only the dipstick!"

A hand poked out from around the door, middle finger extended, then was quickly withdrawn as the door closed. Ember roared with laughter as she went to let Danny in. _Ahh, young love…_, she mused, hoping this time, it would last.

Still, no matter what happened, the next hour or so was going to be interesting.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And now onto the final chapter, "A Long, Slow Kiss Goodbye"!**

**Be kind, and leave a review. Be even kinder, and select Story Alert. And if anyone has seen my marbles, please return them. Thanks.**


	6. A Long, Slow Kiss Goodbye

**This story was written for **_**inuyashaxkagome321**_**, whose plea for more Danny/Kitty pairings could not go unheeded. I hope you liked the story little one.**

**A VERY warm thanks goes out to my Beta Reader, DigitalPhantom, who is simply awesome! If you want to read something really special, go check out her work.**

**This is a VERY long chapter, so be ready.**

**This story takes place after the "Livin' Large" episode, in August of 2007. **

**As always, critical reviews are always appreciated. Actually any review is appreciated, except mindless flames with no useful substance.**

**Please enjoy.**

* * *

**Leaving a Boy for a Man**

**Chapter Six:**

_**A Long, Slow Kiss Goodbye**_

* * *

Danny stood at the door to Ember's apartment, heart thumping in his chest and palms sweating. He could hear something beyond the door, but couldn't make out what it was. After what seemed to be an eternity, he raised his hand to knock again, only to snatch it back when he heard the door handle being turned. Quickly straightening up, he put on his best smile (hoping it wasn't cheesy-looking) and waited, his legs beginning to feel weak. As the door opened, he suddenly became panicked, and thoughts of turning invisible and flying quickly away entered his mind.

Before he could act on his fears, the door was open and Ember was staring at him, a coy smile on her face. "Something I can help you with, dipstick?"

That word, being so often used as an insult when they battled, caused him to immediately become defensive, which in turn dispelled any thoughts of flying away. As he looked into Ember's eyes though, he could detect no malice. In fact, she actually seemed to be enjoying his reaction, even taunting him somewhat playfully. Danny relaxed his posture and reminded himself that she was one of the good guys at the moment.

"Hi, Ember. I thought I would come and see Kitty. You know, to see how she's recovering," he said quickly, trying to seem nonchalant.

Ember just grinned at his apparent nervousness. "Sure, come on in."

Danny entered into the main room, still in awe over the size of her 'apartment'. He looked around for several seconds, but could neither see nor hear any sign of Kitty anywhere. He quickly spun around to look at Ember, almost spilling the flowers he brought everywhere. "Where's Kitty?" Danny squeaked, a slight look of panic in his eyes.

A low, throaty chuckle escaped Ember's lips. "Don't get your shorts in a knot, baby-pop. Kitty's fine; she's just freshening herself up a little bit."

Danny let out a sigh of relief, then blushed in embarrassment. He knew Kitty would be safe with Ember, but he let his feelings for her override that fact. He suddenly felt very conscientious standing there, holding the flowers he had brought for Kitty. He was sure Ember knew why he was really there, and it made him blush all the more.

It took every ounce of control that Ember possessed not to burst out laughing at Danny's predicament. It was so painfully obvious that he had feelings for Kitty, and that the presence of his former enemy was making the situation harder to cope with. His demeanor made her realize that, even though he acted mature while fighting ghosts and protecting people, he was still just a scared teenage boy at heart, and one trying to deal with a crush.

Feeling somewhat sorry for him, she reached out her hand toward the flowers. "Would you like me to put those in some water for you?"

Danny smiled, and his posture relaxed a little. "Yes, thank you, that would be great."

She took the bouquet had headed toward the kitchen. "No problem. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back."

He looked around, saw a comfortable-looking couch and sat down in it, moving a few pillows around to give him more room. As he picked up one, he caught the faint scent of pine needles and lilacs from it, and remembered that this was the couch he laid Kitty down on. The smell sent his thoughts racing again, and visions of Kitty came unbidden into his mind. Looking around to see if he was alone, he lifted the pillow closer to his face and inhaled deeply.

Sighing in content, he put the pillow down to the side. He loved her smell, and his body responded immediately to it. It still amazed him how quickly his thoughts would go to her, and it made him a bit scared. He knew that he was totally over Sam, yet he feared that his feelings for Kitty might be influenced by his recent rejection. He realized that he'd have to try and keep his wits about him, no easy task in her presence, and take it one step at a time.

Ember walked in at that moment with the flowers in a vase, setting them down on the table near Danny. "She's really going to like those flowers; they're very beautiful."

Danny blushed a bit and muttered his thanks, then gave the room an appraising sweep of the eye. "You really do have a cool place here. I wouldn't have guessed it was so large inside, judging from the outside. Are there multiple floors to your apartment, like there seem to be on the outside?"

She shook her head, "Nope. Just this room, the kitchen, and my bedroom suite through the door behind you. That's it."

"Then why does the building look like it does from the outside?" he inquired.

Ember stared out the window, and seemed to ignore Danny's question. He noticed that her shoulders had slumped, and her demeanor became somewhat subdued. He realized then that he had said something wrong, and felt horrible about it. "I'm sorry, Ember, I didn't mean to pry. Forget I even asked."

She didn't respond, and the silence between them became heavy and strained. Finally, Ember looked Danny in the eyes, and he noticed a single tear sliding down her face. "The outside of the apartment is exactly like the one I lived in…before I died."

Danny's eyes went wide at that revelation, and recognized that he would have to tread carefully on the subject. "If it upsets you, and it obviously seems to, then why did you make the building that way?"

Ember looked at him like he was an idiot, then remembered that he was only half-ghost and didn't reside in the Ghost Zone. "I didn't; it was here when I died. I've changed the interior to give myself more room, but I can't modify the exterior, or add any buildings to my realm. Only the Zone can."

He looked at her in confusion, not sure he understood what she was saying. "Are you telling me that the Ghost Zone itself made this realm specifically for you? That you had no say in its design?"

She nodded her head, "Pretty much. After I d…got here, I came to inside the warehouse you saw outside. It was the last place I performed at before," she looked pale, "you know. Anyway, when I left there, I saw the old music stores I shopped at, the first bar I performed in, the radio station that played my first song, and my apartment. All of them were exactly as I last remembered them, except there were no other people around."

Danny was stunned, "Does every building here have some significance to you?"

Ember gave him a sad smile, "Pretty much. Those stores were places I bought my first instrument and first guitar from, and the laundromat is where I wrote the lyrics to 'Remember'." She seemed reluctant to say more, but then went on, "The other small buildings are important too, but for reasons I'd rather not discuss."

"What about the arena? Was that your first major gig?" Danny asked.

She chuckled at that, "Didn't you get a good look at it? It's the arena in your town, the one we first fought in. When you dumped me back in the Ghost Zone, I came back and there it was, exactly the same as when you imprisoned me in that damned thermos. Even the video screen on the left side of the stage is broken where you threw me through it."

Danny had the good sense to look sheepish, "Yeah, sorry about that, but you were kinda out of control." Seeing Ember's hair flare up at his last statement, he quickly directed the conversation back to her realm. "So, how does the Zone know what to put in a ghost's realm?"

Ember's hair died down and she shrugged, "I don't know. I've heard some of the older ghosts like Desiree talk about an incredibly ancient spirit who created the Ghost Zone way back whenever and still controls it." Ember snorted in disgust, "Of course, no one has ever truly seen this 'all-powerful being', so I think the story is bullshit. I mean come on, why would some ghost like that care about us?"

He thought about what she said, then remembered another all-powerful being he knew, "What about Clockwork; has anyone asked what he thinks about the issue?"

She looked at Danny like he had two heads, "I understand that conversations with him are by invitation only. Besides, " she shuddered, "I wouldn't ask the guy; he gives me the creeps."

Danny made a mental note to look into this "Spirit of the Ghost Zone" thing, and felt that invitation or not, he needed to start with Clockwork. The concept that a ghost's realm was a reflection of their lives before and after death was interesting; perhaps Jazz or his mom would have some input on the issue.

"What is Kitty's realm like?" he asked, suddenly interested in possibly learning more about the woman who had enchanted him.

"She doesn't have a realm. She shared one with Johnny." Ember's tone turned dark and her hair began curling on itself. "At least she did. She can stay here until we find her someplace permanent to stay."

Danny was relieved that Ember volunteered to provide Kitty with a place to stay. That helped to solve one problem for now, but the main problem was still lurking out there, waiting for Kitty to show herself. "Trouble is, eventually Johnny is going to find out where Kitty is, if only by checking everywhere else for her first. He made it pretty clear to me that he wasn't going to give up looking for her, no matter what."

Ember perked up at that, "So, you've seen the shit-head since last we talked?"

He nodded his head, "Yep. He was staked out by my parent's portal, waiting for me or Kitty most likely. Gave him quite a scare when I came up on him from behind, armed and ready for a fight."

An evil grin broke Ember's features, "So, did you kick his ass good?"

"No. We exchanged some 'pleasantries', but then he sent his shadow to attack, distracting me while he ran off."

Ember shook her head, "You should have fired first, then asked questions. Johnny is a lot more dangerous than you give him credit for."

"You know that's not how I operate, Ember. Besides, I'm sure when push comes to shove, I'll be able to handle him." Danny just hoped he was right.

Ember shrugged he shoulders again, "Well, no sense worrying about what you could have done, just what you are going to do." She looked hard at Danny, "So, what are you going to do?"

Danny looked right back at Ember, "I don't know yet, but I'll think of something."

* * *

Kitty finished dressing and primping, then moved from the bathroom to Ember's bedroom. Looking in the full-length mirror outside the closet, she checked to make sure everything was perfect. Satisfied, she walked over to the door and put her hand on the knob, mentally preparing herself for seeing Danny again. She knew it was foolish of her, but she wanted to make the right impression on him.

Quietly opening the door, she stepped out into the main room and saw Danny and Ember talking to each other about Johnny. Seeing him sitting there made her face flush and sent a shiver running through her body. She couldn't believe how handsome he looked, and wanted nothing more than to run over to him and profess her feelings for him.

And that scared the hell out of her.

She knew that he was a good man, and would treat her right, but she still wasn't sure he felt the same way she did. She also knew that her feelings for him had strengthened more in the past few days then she thought possible, and she needed to be careful. One man had already hurt her, nearly taken away her will to continue; she didn't think she could manage to go through that again. She doubted that would be an issue with Danny, but for now she intended to be careful. She would take things slow, and play them by ear.

Sensing a break in the conversation, Kitty decided that now was the time to announce herself.

From behind him, Danny heard the soft sound of someone clearing their throat, and he turned his head toward the noise. At first he didn't recognize the woman standing in the doorway to Ember's bedroom, but when she smiled shyly at him and said, "Hi Danny," his eyes popped open and jaw dropped, and he found himself slowly rising to his feet. Unable to talk or even move, his mind could only attempt to process the vision of beauty before him.

The goddess in front of him looked dressed to kill, yet still seemed shy and fragile, like a girl just come into her womanhood. She wore black denim jeans, slightly faded, that rose low on her hips and hugged her form while tastefully accentuating it. The bottoms looked to be boot-cut, and the gleam of a buckle on her pointed-toe leather boots peaked out from under a slightly-rolled cuff. A wide, black leather belt sat askew on her hips, its gleaming metal studs drawing his eyes to the womanly curve of her backside.

Forcing his eyes upward, he noticed a small silver and ruby piercing dangling from her belly button, contrasting nicely on her pale grey skin and tempting a viewer to follow it back down. Resisting its allure, he continued up, his gaze traveling over the barely noticeable shape of her ribs and coming to rest on a white cotton halter top. He froze here, unable to drag his focus any higher.

It was cut in a classic Greek style, like ones he remembered seeing on paintings depicting Aphrodite; only on this woman, it made her seem truly divine. The cotton was thick enough not to be see-through, but still give a tantalizing glimpse of the treasures contained within it. Danny marveled at how it emphasized the soft curve of her breasts, and blushed when he noticed the dark points of her areolas poking against the fabric.

Realizing that it was rude to stare at her chest, he continued trailing his gaze upward, noticing the top came together around her neck. There he saw a black lace choker necklace with a silver chain ending in a heart-cut ruby dangling in the hollow of her throat. Images of his dream of them at Lover's Point suddenly came to mind, and he remembered planting soft kisses on her neck in the back of his car and her moaning in delight at them. Looking at its delicate curve into her jaw line made him wonder what it would feel like to truly press his lips into the soft tissue there. Would she moan at the sensation, or merely shiver silently in delight?

As his imagination conjured visions of hot, wet kisses along her neck, his eyes came upon her lips, and the decision of where he wanted his mouth to be was settled. They were full and moist, a soft blush of red drawing his attention completely to them. As his heart raced and his breathing became deeper, he could swear that her lips were pursing slightly, as if inviting his kiss. The effect drove his teenaged male hormones crazy, and his face flushed red with desire.

Moving farther up her face, he couldn't help but admire her cute button of a nose, but as his eyes moved beyond it, they were captured by hers. He couldn't tell exactly what shade of red they were, but they held the light in the room and returned it tenfold, like a well-cut diamond. Her lashes were long and black, and she had just a hint of dark eye shadow on. Held in her gaze he watched as she slowly blinked, then cocked her head and met his gaze with a smoky, sensual stare of her own.

With short, chestnut red hair framing her angelic face, Danny felt he could stand there forever, locked into the passionate depths of Kitty's eyes.

Slowly, he came out of the trance he was in. His mouth was dry and his tongue felt like it was swathed in cotton. Licking his lips and swallowing twice, his voice still came out rather hoarse, "Wow! You look…," he breathed heavily, searching for the words, "you look…wow!" He took a few steps closer to her, drinking in her beauty.

Kitty took a few short steps forward and blushed heavily, the effect making her even more irresistible to Danny. "Thank you. You look very handsome as well."

Kitty meant what she said. She had been checking Danny out, and truly liked what she saw. Two years of battling other ghosts had left him toned and confident, and his demeanor showed it. Even his polo shirt couldn't hide his well-defined pecs, and his shoulder and arm muscles rippled beneath the fabric. His chiseled Roman features and mussed black hair gave him a rakish look that Kitty found so sexy. And that tight backside of his…well, thoughts of it made her shiver in arousal.

Danny took two more steps and blushed at her compliment as well. "I noticed your hair is a different color," he remarked, so captivated by her that he was unable to think of anything else to say.

Kitty smiled, "This is its natural color. I only dyed it because J…someone else liked it that way." Kitty brought her hands up to her hair and stroked it as she moved toward him, looking almost pleadingly at Danny, "Do you like it?"

"No…I love it. It really suits you." Danny replied, now only a foot or two from her. The scent of spring roses tickled his nose; it was very pleasant, and made him want to be closer.

His comment brought a huge smile to Kitty's features, and the effect of it washed over Danny, making him want her even more. "I'm glad you like it. I prefer it this way too." She noticed he smelled crisp and clean, like the ocean in the morning, and wished he was even closer so she could breathe in his scent.

Closing the distance a bit more, Danny's eyes were locked on hers, "I'm glad to see you up and about; I was really worried about you." Danny blushed hot and glanced away, but quickly returned his gaze into hers.

Kitty was blushing too, and moved a little toward him, "I'm fine, you don't have to worry; Ember took good care of me." She dropped her head down slightly, then looked back up into his eyes, her voice coming out deep and sensual, "I'm really glad you came back to see me."

Ember looked from one to the other and chuckled inside. Without realizing it, they had both edged closer to the other, like a bee to a flower. She was sure that if she took off all her clothes and ran around the room screaming at the top of her lungs, neither of them would notice, as enraptured by each other as they were. Ember had to admit that Danny did look cute, but Kitty was stunning, and being next to him made her glow with inner beauty as well.

Both of them were just gazing at each other now with dreamy expressions, not saying anything, and Ember figured she'd have to push things along. "You know what, guys? I've got better things to do then watch the two of you making googly-eyes at each other all night. For Christ's sake, get out of here and go see a movie or something!"

Danny and Kitty were jolted back to their surroundings by the playful harshness in the rocker's voice, and both blushed hot and turned away. Kitty recovered quickly, and looked back at Danny, "Well, I'm not really sure where we could go; any ideas?"

Danny smiled, remembering something Kitty had told him before when she was overshadowing Paulina, "Well, if you feel up to it, we could always go to Amity Park. We've got a pretty cool theater, and I know a nice Italian restaurant nearby."

Kitty squealed in delight, "I'd love to go there with you! Let me get a jacket and I'll be right back!" She turned and hurried back into Ember's room, muttering something about finding the right coat to match her outfit.

"Look in my closet behind the door!" shouted Ember, then she turned her gaze on Danny. "Do you think it's safe to take her out? Johnny will surely be looking for her, in and out of the Ghost Zone."

"If we're careful and stay low, I think we'll be fine," he said, seemingly unconcerned. "Besides, I can handle Johnny."

Ember fixed Danny with a hard stare, and it made him somewhat uncomfortable. "Just be careful with Kitty. She's been through a lot in the past few days, and she's a lot more fragile than she looks." Softening her glare and cracking a small smile, she added, "Besides, I'd hate to have to kick your ass alongside Johnny's."

Danny smiled back, realizing that Ember was only looking out for her friend. "Don't worry; I'll take good care of her." Then, because he couldn't resist, he shot back, "And since when have you been able to kick my ass?"

Kitty chose that moment to come out of the bedroom, wearing a black leather half-jacket and looking radiant. Danny 's face broke out in a huge smile the moment he saw her, and found he couldn't wait to take her out on the town.

"Are you ready?" Kitty asked in a shy, soft voice.

"I'd be a fool if I said no," replied Danny, his cheeks feeling suddenly hot.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, would you two please leave already?! If I have to see any more of those puppy-dog looks between lovebirds, I swear I'll hurl!" Ember said mockingly, rolling her eyes in protest.

Kitty just stuck her tongue out at Ember and headed toward the door. Danny was there a moment before her and held it open. Kitty loved that Danny was such a gentleman, and her concerns about her rapidly-developing feelings toward him lessened considerably.

Ember ushered them out the door, teasing them as they went, "Now young man, I want her back here at a respectable hour. And no 'R' rated movies; you're too young for them anyway!"

Danny joined Kitty in sticking his tongue out at Ember, who replied by winking at him and saying in a sultry voice, "Promises, promises!" Danny's eyes flew open at that and he blushed hard. Kitty gave her friend a somewhat-scathing look that caused Ember to roar with laughter.

As the two flew off together, Ember went back inside and closed the door. She was dog tired, and she desperately needed a nap. Moving into her bedroom, she stripped down, then thought about what she was going to do when she got up. An evil grin split her features, and she rummaged around in her closet, coming out with a vicious-looking set of leather boots with steel toes and short spikes on the bottoms and toes. She's gotten them at a KISS concert, and they were her favorite pair for stomping someone with. Setting them aside, she crawled into bed and was soon fast asleep…

…and dreamed of kicking Johnny in his tiny balls.

* * *

Danny and Kitty made it to the door from Ember's realm into the Ghost Zone, and Danny opened it up slightly. Peeking through it, he could see no one outside but Klemper, and he wasn't too worried about him.

Looking back at Kitty, he held his hand out. "We should travel through the Ghost Zone invisibly, at least until we're through the Fenton Portal and into the lab. Take my hand so we don't get separated."

Kitty placed her hand in Danny's and they both felt a shock go through them and into their very core. The sensation so stunned Danny that before he knew it he was drifting out through the door and into the Ghost Zone, Kitty in tow. Quickly regaining his wits, he turned them both invisible and flew off in the direction of the Fenton Portal.

"Sorry about that, I'm not sure what that shock was," Danny whispered to Kitty. It had never happened before, but he hoped it would again. It felt strange, but in a good way, and left his hormones raging.

"It's okay, it didn't hurt," Kitty mumbled, still caught up in the delicious sensation of it. Like Danny, she hoped it wasn't a onetime thing.

After he was sure they were gone, Klemper came out from his hiding place and flew off as fast as he could to find his friend. He was sure that Johnny would be pleased with the news that Kitty had left Ember's realm with Danny, and would give him that ride he promised.

_It will be so nice to have a friend_, Klemper mused.

* * *

Danny and Kitty approached the Fenton Portal some time later, and Danny was scanning everywhere for signs of trouble. Not seeing or sensing anything he approached the portal cautiously, ready for anything. Gripping Kitty's hand tighter, he removed the Fenton Ecto-Remote Passkey from his pocket and got ready to open the portal.

"Kitty, I want you to stay close to me when we go through. The portal only remains open for a couple of seconds at a time, and I don't want to become separated from you." Danny blushed at his choice of words, and Kitty could tell by how warm his hand suddenly became. "Not separated by the portal, I mean," he quickly corrected.

Kitty bit her bottom lip, remembering the last time she had made a mad dash through the Fenton Portal. It disrupted her form when it closed on her, and, along with the incredible pain she received, had prevented her from entering into Danny's world. She began shaking in fear, not sure she wanted to chance it.

Danny sensed something was wrong and reached back to find her hand in his. Stoking it gently, he tried to calm her. "Kitty, what's wrong? You're shaking like a leaf!"

She felt foolish for being so frightened; she knew Danny wouldn't let any harm come to her. Still, she felt reluctant to go. "I'm fine, it's just the last time I went through this thing was behind Johnny on his motorcycle. It snapped shut on me, forcing me to abandon my form and left me stranded in the Ghost Zone until I could fully heal."

Danny felt like an idiot, having all but forgotten that incident. Of course she was scared; she had every right to be, but Danny did know what to do. "Kitty, if I carry you, we can both go through the portal at the same time. There's no way you could get trapped by the doors then."

Kitty smiled at the idea of Danny carrying her across the portal threshold, then chastised herself for such a silly thought. "That sounds like it would work. I'm ready when you are."

He turned around and began feeling where Kitty should be. His hands touched her bare stomach and a tiny shock went through him, only slightly less intense than the last. Pushing past the sensation, he reached around until he felt his other arm touch her back, then scooped her up in a bridal carry.

Getting a feel for the weight distribution, he adjusted his grip, then suddenly realized his right hand was on Kitty's bottom. (Kitty noticed it as well, and had just sighed in contentment.) Blushing, Danny quickly moved it to the back of her knee, fumbled with the remote until he managed to press the button on the control, then flew off through the now opened portal.

Once on the other side, he flew quickly up through the ceiling and into his room, becoming visible as he shifted back into his human half and touched down on the floor. He realized then that Kitty's weight was a bit more noticeable in human form, and he quickly sat her down on his bed.

Kitty was so scared that she had kept her eyes closed while they flew through the portal, but when she felt Danny change, she opened them and looked around in relief; they had made it through! She was so happy that as Danny laid her down she instinctually gave him a kiss of thanks on the cheek.

If the touch of their hands had caused a spark, then her peck on his cheek was more akin to a major electrical shock. It caused Danny to stand straight up in surprise, eyes wide and heart racing. Kitty just sat there, eyes closed, lips pursed and body trembling. Both had never felt anything like it before, and their bodies betrayed them by blatantly showing the signs of their mutual physical arousal. Danny and Kitty both turned away in opposite directions, trying to get their feelings under control. Both were scared by what had just happened, but they also knew it had felt so right.

Kitty recovered first this time, and was still blushing when she turned to face Danny. "Sorry about that, I was just so happy to get through that portal I forgot myself."

Danny was having a harder time getting himself under control, and stayed with his back to Kitty, head down and breathing hard. "That's okay. It was…nice."

She sighed inwardly, wishing that Danny would have said more. Maybe Ember wasn't right; maybe he was just being nice to her. She was unsure of what to say or do, so she just got up and walked around his room. It was full of posters of NASA and models of rockets, with a huge model of a space station suspended from the ceiling above his bed.

"I take it you're really into space exploration," she commented, hoping to start the flow of communication again.

Danny turned to face her, his eyes lit up like Christmas lights, and the effect made her feel warm inside. "Yeah, I am. I hope to be an astronaut, or maybe an engineer, and work in the space program one day."

Kitty smiled, finding his boyish charm to be so cute. "I remember when Sputnik went up into orbit; every kid wanted to be a space man after that."

He looked at her, slightly confused, "You mean you remember seeing a show about it?"

She was next to a model of the Voyager spacecraft, holding it in her hands. Danny noticed her eyes were closed and she seemed sad. "No, Danny, I was there. I read about it in a newspaper outside my favorite soda shop. That was the year before…," she swallowed hard, "…before I died."

Danny felt terrible. He should have known better than to press the issue. "I'm sorry, Kitty. I didn't mean to hurt you by bringing that up." He moved over next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

She put the model down and placed her hand on his, and the little shock flowing through them both again. "It's okay. I came to terms with my…condition a long time ago." She turned around, just inches from him, and gave him her sexiest smile, "Now, how about that movie you promised? Unless you like to just stay here and…talk."

Standing this close to Kitty made Danny painfully aware of his attraction to her, and he longed to kiss her. Shaking it off, he reached around her and picked his wallet and keys up from the desk behind her. In the process, he grazed the bare flesh of her ribcage, which set off more sparks in his already hormone-flooded brain.

"Sure. Movies usually start a half-hour from now, so we should get going," and he quickly turned around and headed for his door, adjusting his growing ardor as inconspicuously as he could.

Kitty followed behind him, feeling cold inside. She had sent him all the signals she could and he just ignored them; actually, he had run from them. She was beginning to have serious doubts about him feeling the same way she did, but then there was that spark. Did he feel it too? She started to feel as if maybe Johnny was right about her…

…that no other man wanted her.

* * *

As Danny and Kitty flew through the Fenton Portal, a dark, ghostly shape flew quickly up behind them. When it got to the portal doors, it quickly formed itself into a brace, keeping the passage open for its master. In the distance, it could hear the roar of his motorcycle, and knew it just had to keep the way open for a few more seconds.

Suddenly, a computerized voice on the other side of the portal spoke up, sounding surprisingly similar to Maddie Fenton's. "Unauthorized override of Fenton Portal security detected. Initiating portal defense mechanisms. Stand clear of portal while ecto-transformers are discharged."

Suddenly, a powerful electrical current was passed through the metal doors, frying Shadow where it stood. It began to lose form and the doors started to shut. Johnny saw what was happening but was too far away to do anything. He shouted, "**SHADOW! GO IN, FIND KITTY, AND WAIT FOR MY SIGNAL**!"

His unlucky shadow tried to comply, but the electricity was too much for it. It dissipated on the other side, and the doors of the portal slammed shut.

Johnny skidded to a halt just feet from the portal and slammed his fist down on the gas tank. He wasn't worried about the portal; he knew of other ways to get to the other side. What concerned him was his shadow. It would take a few hours before it could reform itself, and by then the punk could be anywhere with his girl. He was patient though, and could wait. He'd find them, and once reunited with his shadow, he would make his move.

Peeling out, he shot off into the Ghost Zone, heading to a place where he was sure to find an entrance into the human world. He couldn't wait to see Kitty again. Maybe he'd show her a good time right in front of the punk while Shadow forced him to watch…

…then he'd beat the hell out of both of them.

* * *

Pulling up outside the theater, Danny got out and hurried around to the passenger side door, opening it for Kitty. Conversation had been strained in the car, and Danny was beginning to get worried. Maybe he was taking things too fast, or perhaps she just didn't like him that way. Whatever the reason, he just hoped that the movie would help get things back to the way they were at Ember's place.

Kitty got out and looked around in wonder. Everything was so brightly lit up it felt like daytime. Kids and parents were lined up at the ticket booth, talking happily about whatever show they were going to see. Kitty felt herself swept up in the excitement, and hooked her arm in Danny's as she walked to the front of the theater.

Danny was somewhat surprised by Kitty's actions, but when he saw the look on her face he relaxed and let her take charge. When they got to the sales counter, he looked over at her, "So, what would you like to see?"

Kitty looked at the movie posters outside the theater. One showed some sort of mechanical robot-looking face, its head blue and silver transitioning into a red body. Another showed an ugly catholic priest lying between a man and a woman. Yet another showed a young boy in robes flourishing a stick, with a snake-faced man in the background. A fourth had a fat man in a tux and fireman's helmet carrying a skinny guy in a white tux, bridal style. Then there was a poster with the word 'Movie' on it, but the "o" was a donut and a hand was reaching up and taking it. None of them looked appealing.

Then she saw the last poster, one with a man and woman apparently naked, embracing in the rain. Below them was another picture of a field, with a woman walking through it. She squinted at the title, then let out a gasp of surprise.

"Oh my God, Lady Chatterley! Is that a movie based on the D.H. Lawrence's classic novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'?"

Danny looked at the poster and saw in small print a critic's comment about how well the movie was adapted from the book. "Yes, I think it is. I wonder what it's about."

Kitty turned toward him in obvious excitement and grabbed both his hands, sending those wonderful little shocks through his system. "It's about the turbulent love affair between a lonely British aristocrat's wife and their estate's gamekeeper. I read it the book when I was seventeen and loved it! Can we see it, please?"

Danny looked into her pleading eyes and just couldn't refuse. The last thing he wanted to see was a chick flick, but this was her night out and he would suffer through it for her sake. Putting on his best smile he nodded, "Yes Kitty, we can see that one. It looks…interesting."

Kitty gave a little scream and pulled Danny into a deep hug, holding him there for several seconds. It felt so good to be in each other's arms, and they just stood there and relished those feelings. Neither of them wanted it to end.

"Sir, you're next, sir," the ticket sales woman said, breaking them out of their reverie.

They both pulled apart from each other and blushed, then Danny went up to the sales counter. "Two for Lady Chatterley, please."

The girl behind the counter looked at Danny, then the woman with him. She seemed very _pale_, if that was the right word for it, but definitely over eighteen. "That will be thirteen dollars sir."

Danny paid the money, took the tickets, and offered his arm to Kitty. She smiled shyly and took it, then they went in. After getting popcorn and sodas, they settled into their seats. As the movie began, Kitty leaned over, took Danny's hand in hers and laid her head on his shoulders. Danny realized right then that, even if the movie sucked, it was still going to be an enjoyable time.

* * *

Johnny had no trouble finding his way into the human world, but locating Kitty and the punk was proving much more difficult. He checked the kid's house but didn't find them or his shadow there. He then drove around the town looking everywhere that he would take Kitty, but found nothing. After three hours of looking, he'd searched everywhere he thought the little runt would take her. Suddenly, he realized the kid was probably a total pushover for Kitty, and they most likely went somewhere she wanted to go.

Johnny then searched all the places Kitty would whine to him to take her to, checking the movie theater, coffee shops, and restaurant district for them. He'd nearly given up when he thought he heard the little shit's voice in the parking lot of an Italian restaurant. "Allow me, m'lady," it said, and Johnny honed in on their location. Sure enough, there was the punk, holding the door of his car open for Kitty. She smiled and got in, and he jogged over to the driver's side, started up the car, and took off.

Johnny followed them on his motorcycle at a respectable distance, making sure he wouldn't be seen. After a few minutes, they pulled into a parking area near the city park, got out of the car, and hand-in-hand walked down a garden path deeper into the place.

It took every ounce of control Johnny had not to go and beat the kid up right then and there, but without Shadow he didn't dare risk it. Getting off his bike and pushing down the path, he followed them in. He didn't want to give himself away, but wanted the bike close for a speedy getaway.

Besides, if need be, he was sure that getting hit by a speeding motorcycle would keep the kid down for the count.

* * *

Danny and Kitty were laughing as they walked through the gardens of the park, talking about the movie and dinner they both enjoyed.

"…and when that meatball rolled off your plate and onto the floor, I thought for sure you were going to chase it," Kitty said, laughing at the vision of Danny trying to catch his runaway dinner.

He was laughing too, "Well, I would have gotten it if that lady hadn't stepped on it. Did you see her face when it oozed into her open-toed shoe? I thought for sure she was going to faint!"

Kitty erupted in laughter, "Oh my God, and when her date tried to lift up her shoe and wipe it off, but raised her leg too high and her silk dress slipped down past her waist! Man, what a bad time not to be wearing panties!"

Both of them roared with laughter, their sides splitting in pain from it. Danny guided them over to a bench near a Koi pond and they both plopped down onto it and tried to stop laughing. Danny managed it first and with a final sigh said, "Whew, I tell you, that was a hell of a show. Not quite as good as the movie, but definitely entertaining."

Kitty snorted in laughter at Danny's comment, "Yeah, she may not have showed more skin than the Lady Chatterley, but the look of horror on her face when she realized her cha-cha was showing was priceless."

Looking over at Kitty he couldn't help but start laughing again, "I'm afraid she didn't handle it too well, and something tells me her date isn't going to be getting very far with her tonight."

Kitty turned to Danny, "He'll be going home alone, with nothing but a memory of all that fur to keep him company."

They both looked at each other and burst out laughing yet again.

"He'll be lucky if she ever talks to him, and I'm sure she won't go 'commando' again for quite some time," Danny said between laughs.

Kitty just shook her head up and down, trying to stop laughing, "Yeah, women seldom put up with behavior like that in a man. I mean, showing off your date is one thing, but that went a little too far."

Danny finally stopped laughing, then looked Kitty in the eyes, "Kitty, can I ask you a serious question?"

She quickly regained control of herself, sensing that this was important. "You can ask me anything you want to, Danny."

"Why did you put up with Johnny's shit for so long?"

Kitty's stomach lurched, and her face went pale. Danny realized quickly that he'd asked the wrong question, and he reached over and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry Kitty, that was really insensitive of me. Forget I even asked."

She was silent for a moment, then looked down at the ground. "It's okay, Danny. I got together with Johnny at first because I thought he loved me. I know now that he didn't." Kitty looked very sad for a moment, a single tear ran down her cheek, and she continued, " I stayed with him because he was right; no one else would have an ugly, old shrew like me."

Danny couldn't believe his ears. He put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up to eye level. "Don't say that, Kitty. You're a beautiful woman." Kitty perked up at this, then Danny quickly covered, "I mean, any guy would be lucky to have you interested in them."

Kitty seemed to deflate a little, looking at him as if she expected something more. Danny knew he said something wrong, he just wasn't sure what it was. Silently, he cursed himself; he'd already driven away one woman he cared about, and here he seemed poised to do it again.

Then Danny had a flashback to the conversation Sam and he had in this very park. He was on the ground, begging her not to leave him. She didn't even turn to him when she said:

"_Promise me something Danny. When you find yourself having those same feelings for the next girl that comes along, don't hide them. Let her know how you truly feel."_

Those words hit him like sledge hammer, and he realized he was doing the same thing now to Kitty that he had done to Sam for all those years. Hiding his emotions had lost him his first love, but he'd be damned if he allowed that to come between Kitty and him now.

Danny reached over and took Kitty's hands in his, focusing all his feelings for her into his eyes. She looked up into them, and was captured by the sheer, raw power of the emotion she saw there.

"Actually, Kitty, I'd be lucky to have a girl like you. Ever since you overshadowed Paulina, I've thought about you, but now I can't get you out of my mind even if I wanted to. I love everything about you; your smile, your laugh, the funny way you snort when you really get going, everything. When we're together, I feel like a king, and when we touch, the shocks that go through me make my legs wobbly and my heart race."

Kitty held her breath, not daring to even move as she listened to Danny. "Kitty, what I'm trying to say is that I think I'm falling in love with you. If it's too soon for you, I'll wait. We can go as slow or as fast as you want to." Danny leaned in close, his face mere inches from hers, "I just need to know one thing: Will you have me, Kitty?"

Kitty's eyes misted up and she whispered in a voice cracking with emotion, "Yes."

She threw herself into him, gripping him in the tightest hug she could manage. Tears of joy washed down her face, and she sobbed as her emotions got the better of her. Danny became worried, but when she whispered, "I love you, Danny.", he knew she would be alright. Holding her close, he whispered, "I love you too, Kitty," then lost himself in her embrace.

A minute passed by and they both pulled apart slightly, eyes locked onto each other. As they both came forward to kiss, Danny could only gaze at this beautiful woman in his arms and think, _I'm the luckiest guy in the world._ Then there lips met…

…and lightning flashed through them, sending their souls into a realm of true bliss.

* * *

Johnny watched the pair from a secluded location about twenty-five yards away. He made sure that his bike was well-hidden; a glint of moonlight off the chrome would be a dead giveaway to his presence. As he watched the pair, he sent out a continuous mental call for Shadow to join him, and hoped the creature wouldn't be too much longer.

He almost laughed aloud when Kitty acknowledged that no other man would want her, and nearly retched at the punk's sappy attempt to woo his girl. But when Kitty agreed to be the kid's girlfriend, Johnny became truly enraged. Then they kissed, and Johnny lost all control. He hopped on his bike and started it, fully intending to run both the little shit and Kitty over with it. In that moment, his unlucky shadow returned, and in his present state, Johnny forgot all the plans he had made to get Kitty back. He became a creature of pure hate, incapable of rational thought, and he gunned the motor and screamed, "**SHADOW, ATTACK**!"

Then rode into battle, determined to take back his own.

* * *

Danny was in a far off place, completely encased in bliss, when he heard a motorcycle engine roar to life. He sensed that Kitty, his partner in that bliss, became terrified at the sound and withdrew herself from the wondrous sensations they were feeling. Struggling to regain a sense of himself, Danny eventually opened his eyes and remembered where he was.

He looked to Kitty, who seemed to be moving in slow motion, and wondered why she had broken the kiss. Her scream brought him further into reality, and as he turned in the direction of her pointed finger, he felt something slam into his chest, knocking him back and restoring the normal flow of time. Realizing he had been attacked, he tried to go ghost, but the dark shape grappling him ripped and slashed at his body , offering him no respite to concentrate on the change.

Kitty had heard the engine, and it snapped her completely out of that incredible kiss with Danny. She had turned to see Shadow flying at him, and shouted a warning. He seemed to be somewhat slow in recovering, and before he could defend himself, Johnny's unlucky shadow had hit him hard and was ripping into him.

Kitty immediately got to her feet and started toward the fight, only to jump out of the way a microsecond before nearly being run over. She quickly rolled back up on her feet, but when she turned to go help Danny, she found Johnny was now in front of her. Her knees felt wobbly and her body shook as fear gripped her. Johnny's eyes glowed an eerie red and he had a look of madness to his features. Kitty felt like a tiny mouse trapped in the stare of a cobra, and she knew that this snake had venom.

Johnny's hand shot out and grabbed Kitty by the arm, his grip like iron nails digging into her skin. "You're coming with me, bitch!" he roared, spittle flying from his mouth everywhere. He pulled her to him, but was surprised when she struggled back.

"Please, Johnny, just leave Danny alone and I'll come with you. Please, baby, don't hurt him!" Kitty pleaded.

His concern for the punk enraged him more, and he took his other hand and smacked her hard across the face, knocking her to the ground. "You don't get it, do you, slag? I call the shots; I say what happens to you! You BELONG to me! No real man would have you; be thankful I will."

Johnny then looked over at Shadow and the kid, smiling at what he saw. Shadow had cut him in several places, and was currently slamming him into a tree. The little shit hadn't changed into the Phantom yet, and by the looks of it, his shadow wasn't going to give him the chance to.

Turning his attention back to Kitty, he noticed her edging away from him and toward the punk. He quickly closed the distance, grabbed her by that shit-red hair he hated so much, and hauled her to her feet. A quick punch to her midsection ended her struggles, and another slap across her face got her attention.

"What, you trying to save your little boyfriend? Think he really cares about you? He'll just use you and throw you away like every other man in your miserable existence has! I'm the only one you've got, and I still don't know why I put up with a skank like you! But since you can't see that, I guess I'll have to make a point."

Johnny punched her in the stomach again, sending her to the ground. He turned to the conflict and yelled, "**SHADOW, FINISH HIM**!"

Kitty looked up, wide-eyed, at Johnny, and something deep within her snapped. She quickly aimed and sent her foot straight up into his crotch, the point of the boot burrowing in deep. The force of the kick knocked all the fight out of Johnny, and he collapsed to the ground, holding his manhood and howling in pain.

Kitty quickly stood up and towered over Johnny, her eyes blazing red and her screams echoing his doom. "You son of a bitch! I don't belong to you! I'm no one's property! I deserve better, and I've found it! And I'll be damned if some piece of shit like you is going to take it away from me!"

Kitty put her right hand up to her lips, palm inward, and blew Johnny a long, hard kiss. The power of her actions slammed into him, and a red, swirling vortex formed around him. Crying out in pain and fear, Johnny found himself dragged onto the middle of the cyclone, and felt like he was being ripped apart. Then the vortex twisted and collapsed in upon itself, taking the biker with it.

Shadow had Danny pinned on the ground and near unconsciousness, and it raised its claw for the killing blow. At that moment, it felt the connection between it and Johnny disappear, and with that, the will binding it into existence faded as well. With a piercing wail, Shadow dissipated into the nothingness that it was formed from.

Kitty ran over to Danny, tears in her eyes and fear for him gnawing in her gut. She dropped to her knees and placed her hand behind his head, raising him up to place him in her lap. "Danny, are you okay? Please, baby, tell me you're alright!" she said in a voice thick with panic.

Danny opened his eyes and looked up into the tear-streaked face of Kitty. He reached out a hand to touch her face, and he smiled lovingly up at her. "I'm fine hon, just a few scratches. I'll be good as new after a night's rest."

Kitty pulled Danny into a fierce embrace, nearly crushing the life out of him. "I thought I was going to lose you! When Johnny told Shadow to finish you off, I was sure I'd lose you!"

Danny chuckled, then regretted it as his ribs burned in pain. "Not likely, Kitty. I plan to be around as long as you'll let me." Danny craned his head around, which hurt even worse than his ribs, then pushed back from Kitty a bit. "Where are Johnny and his shadow?"

She smiled in satisfaction, "I sent Johnny away, for good this time. When he left, Shadow just disappeared; floated apart into nothing."

Danny looked up at Kitty with a newfound respect in his eyes. "Nice job, hon, I knew you could do it. Now, we better get back to my house so I can patch myself up." Looking at Kitty's face, he added, "Looks like you could use some TLC too, love."

Kitty beamed her most beautiful smile at Danny, then stood up and reached down to offer him a hand.

"Isn't the knight supposed to rescue the fair maiden?" Danny joked as Kitty helped him up, wincing with the effort of getting to his feet.

Kitty smiled brightly at Danny, pulling him gently closer and kissing him softly on the lips. "You already have."

* * *

A storm brewed in the Ghost Zone, and flashes of lightning arced around a large chunk of rock floating through the infinite space. A consciousness stirred, and sensed a change to itself was needed. Its' immeasurable mind reached out and touched the newcomer's, only to find that it knew her well. _It's about time she found what she was looking for_, the entity mused, and with but the slightest expenditure of energy, it brought into existence her new realm.

Looking down on it, the entity was somewhat surprised, as all of the structures looked new, and none were from her previous life. There was a movie theater, coffee shop, several nice restaurants, and a rather large apartment building that exactly matched that of the spirit it knew as Ember McLain. Puzzled by this, the entity sifted through the thoughts of the spirit called Kitty and smiled, realizing that all these things meant more to her than the locations from her life. Recognizing that something was missing, the creature exerted it's mighty will once again…

…and at the center of her realm, a small garden with a bench and Koi pond came into being.

FIN

* * *

**Well, that's it. Danny and Kitty are together. Hope you enjoyed it!**

**Be kind, and leave a review. Be even kinder, and select Favorite Story. And look for my next story, "A Poison That Blinds", which is part of a four story set, coming soon!**


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